An Unexpected Coupling
by Kendra Luehr
Summary: Sensing her attraction to him, Mugen finally allows Fuu to lay with him for one night. Not long after, Mugen is stricken with a strange disease that threatens his very existence. Will his stubborn pride allow Fuu to cure AND love him? Good luck... LEMONx2
1. The Beginning of the End

**A/N:** The revised version ... I don't own Samurai Champloo - RUB IT IN, WHY DON'TCHA? lol :-P Flames will be used for Smoores, but I appreciate reviews all the same.

Fuu should've known the moment she entered her quarters that she was in trouble. It was uncharacteristically quiet without a single sound of nocturnal creatures to lull her into a pre-sleep haze, the relatively large shadow behind her going completely unnoticed as she sank down onto her cot and sighed. _"I'm so tired"_ she thought, covering her mouth as she released a rather unattractively loud yawn. _"I was foolish to stay awake while the guys retired early."_

"So do you always go to sleep without checking your room for boogey men?" a teasing voice questioned from abaft, thus causing the dark-haired beauty to let out a wail and shoot up in her cot as if attached to a spring.

Finally coming to realize who the mystery man was, Fuu clenched her tiny white hands into two shaking fists, screaming out at the top of her lungs, "Why you stupid son of a bitch! Get out of my room, Mugen, get _out!"_

"I don't see your name on it."

"Get _OUT!"_

Completely un-phased by her tone, the cocksure vagrant finally exited the shadows and came into the dim candlelight so that Fuu could see his face, his normally conceited irises glowing with something foreign and alien that she had never seen in them before. She had to admit that the sensation she was receiving from those incredible orbs frightened her, and yet...

"Mugen, what are you doing here?"

There - she had said it.

Instead of receiving an answer, however, Fuu found herself to be terribly insulted once the dark-haired young man threw back his head and gave a loud and booming laugh, her delicate brows drawing inward in utmost confusion.

"What the hell is so funny?" she demanded, considerably hurt. "Why are you laughing at me like that?"

Mugen immediately shook his head. "Nothing, really...Jin just told me all about the other night, that's all."

Fuu gasped, her hand immediately flying over her heart in an act of panic. Jin had _told?_ How could he when she trusted him so?

Noticing her look of sheer distress Mugen laughed once more, yet this time he explained, "Relax, will ya? I know all about your stupid diary and how you wrote that you've got somewhat of a schoolgirl crush on me. After all, who could blame ya?"

"Why _you-"_

"Which is exactly why I came to tell you that I'll give you one night, if that's what you want" Mugen suddenly interjected, sensual undertones now lacing his deep voice as he took a slight step forward and ran his thumb along the svelte curve of her cheek. Fuu gasped as she heard this, her eyes meeting with his as she found herself shot in place by the tremendous desire gazing back at her.

_'Desire for me'_ Fuu realized, her own passion rapidly escalating as the dark-haired pirate pinned her against the wall to her quarters, his hand suddenly finding its way in-between her legs so that she moaned softly at the rawness of their contact.

Taking her roughly by the hand, Mugen then led her towards the cot, never once glancing back at the terribly excited girl, Fuu's knees now terribly weak and rubbery as she followed him like a lovelorn fool.

Feeling tremors of anxiety forming within her stomach, Fuu watched on with excitement as Mugen pulled her right in front of the cot before turning to her with a primal look within his haunting eyes.

"Take off your kimono" he commanded, his voice soft, yet tainted by lust.

Fuu's eyes flashed in surprise, yet she did as she was told, relishing in how Mugen's eyes drank in her every curve and contour as she slowly relieved herself of the only barriers that concealed herself from her future lover.

When she was completely naked, Mugen felt his innards quiver with excitement, his arousal tenting through his shorts as his normally deft hands fumbled to remove himself of his red gi and white undershirt.

Breathing heavily through her rosy-colored lips, Fuu observed the spectacle of the glorious swordsman undressing, his body heaving in the dim light as the contours of his well-defined torso left her mouth dry and an indescribable aching within her womb.

_God,_ she wanted him--**needed** him.

As these thoughts raged within her mind like a tempestuous storm of untamed emotion, Mugen took the petite woman within his strong arms and hungrily pressed his mouth to hers, a small whimper of gratification escaping Fuu's lips as she encircled her arms about his neck and met his invading tongue with her own.

"Get on the cot" he pleaded breathlessly, causing her to break their kiss and nod.

In a flash, they were on Fuu's makeshift bed, sheets whispering across silken flesh with secrets of untold sins and transgressions as the beautiful young woman and her messy-haired counterpart began the dance that many souls have partaken in over the centuries.

Taking him by the shoulders, Fuu then slipped into Mugen's awaiting lap, her breath hot and burning against his sensitive flesh as she grasped his hand and brought it to her right breast, forcing him to squeeze it with his trembling fingers.

_"Mugen..."_ she gasped, arching against him as her tongue snaked about his ear, leaving a light trail of passion along the sensitive organ as she emitted a purr of untamed pleasure.

Shuddering against Fuu's shoulder, Mugen couldn't help but allow her to ravage his torso with her fiery lips, his eyes closing once they wrapped greedily about his nipple and pulled it within the hot cavern of her mouth. _God..._she was Fuu, wasn't she? He felt as if he were committing the ultimate of sins, yet why couldn't he stop?

Before he could further war with himself, however, Mugen felt Fuu push him down so that she was now straddling his waist, her rather narrow hips beginning to rock atop his own in a slow and sensual grind.

"Fuu" he gasped, wincing once she suddenly seized him between the legs, "I..._God."_

"Don't bring Him into this" she teased, smirking against the burning flesh of his abdomen as she allowed herself the pleasure of kissing him down along the smooth expanse of skin until she had reached his navel, smirking while traveling lower and lower with each tantalizing kiss that she bestowed upon his quivering body.

Mugen glanced at her through half-shut lids, groaning deeply from the back of his throat. _"Fuu..."_

By God, was she truly a virgin? Perhaps she knew more than she was letting on...

Seemingly touching his stiff rod in answer, Fuu couldn't help but blush upon finding him to be so aroused, her eyes feeling as if she were taking in a sight far too dirty for a young girl of her age to be doing. In spite of this, however, she desperately wanted to please Mugen; as much as she hated to admit it, she had grown terribly attached to him over the course of their journey and she would stop at nothing but to make him happy.

Running a hand down along the smooth plane of his chest and his navel, Fuu fondly seized him between the legs once more and leaned down in order to take him into her mouth just like in the stories she had heard from her friends, the normally cool and collected pirate all the while quivering and shaking beneath her like a mass full of jelly.

Blowing warm air along Mugen's tip, Fuu then wrapped her tongue greedily about his member and slid him nearly completely into her mouth, the muscles of her throat relaxing so that she could swallow repeatedly about him without gagging.

Moaning and churning his hips in order to get more of the incredible sensation at hand, Mugen began to feel an indelible pressure within his loins, his eyes darkened by lust and his manhood now completely swollen from her sweet kisses and tender affection. He knew he was about to come, yet his tremendous desire was far too intense to allow him any vocal instructions.

Fuu, however, wasn't as naive as he thought. Sliding herself across his bare thighs and taking his hands in her own, she then forced him to touch her medium-sized breasts in an intimate and loving way. "Please love me, Mugen," she urged, suddenly appearing to be tearful, "pretend you love me right now so that I can at least feel like I'm in love for my first time."

Something within Mugen's manner seemed to change, his dark eyes suddenly warming as he cupped Fuu's radiant face within his hands and pulled her in for a slow, and drugging kiss, a low moan of gratification escaping the back of her throat as he delicately slid his tongue into her gifted orifice and tasted the incredible sweetness within.

_God,_ she was amazing.

Pressing herself to him with a needy desperation, Fuu only deepened their kiss as she linked her arms about his neck and met her lips with his again and again amidst her starved yearning for love and acceptance, his left hand caressing her cheek while the other dutifully massaged one of her breasts.

"Mugen" she whimpered, pulling away only to immediately kiss him again, "I...I want you, I..."

He pressed a finger to her lips, then hungrily replaced it with his own, his hands guiding her hips toward his aching member as she clutched at his face and bestowed his cheeks with several warm, affectionate kisses that seemed so unlike the bitchy woman that she normally was.

Feeling as if a rod of steel were sitting between her legs, Fuu suddenly withdrew her face from Mugen's and gave him a warm, genuine smile, her brown eyes dark and alive as she rigorously impaled herself as quickly as possible so as to ease the pain and let out a cry, her lover cringing briefly beneath her as he found himself suddenly surrounded to the hilt by hot, wet and tight.

God, she really _was_ a virgin.

_"Mugen"_ she whimpered, her virginal blood leaking from their point of union and staining the sheets with their untold sins and transgressions. "I-it hurts..."

"It'll feel better soon" the surprisingly gentle vagrant assured her, cupping her breasts within his callused hands before thrusting his hips upward in order to quicken the pace.

Fuu's dark eyes sparkled within the pale moonlight of the room as he did this, her lust-filled orbs rolling back in her head as she suddenly tossed back her head and choked on a moan, continuing to rock her hips atop her lover's in a sensual grind as his thrusts grew more rapid and urgent.

Suddenly feeling her slick canal contracting about the swordsman's iron-hard arousal, Fuu couldn't help but let out a whimper of utter delectation. Tangling her beautifully-manicured nails within her soft, chestnut locks, she rolled her head back and choked on a moan, her counterpart jerking forward as he exploded deep within her in a sudden burst of liquid fire.

"Oh, _Mugen!"_ Fuu gasped, wilting down weakly a top her lover's sweat-slicked torso before lightly grasping his nipple between her teeth and sawing it back and forth within her mouth.

Groaning at these tempting little administrations, he immediately flipped her over and pressed his lips to the svelte flesh of her stomach, tired of being the pansy on the bottom. She had had her fun, so now it was his turn.

Peering out at her lover through hooded lids, Fuu couldn't help but moan once she locked eyes with him, his damnable eyes alone causing the ache within her loins to return tenfold.

"Mugen" she whimpered, tossing her head back against the pillow once she felt his lips ravage the bundle of nerves in her lower body, tears of utter delectation forming along her kohl lashes as he plunged his tongue deep within her slick canal and savored her tanginess like the thrilling aphrodisiac that it was.

Moaning amidst his own administrations, Mugen removed his glistening lips from her moist womanhood and eagerly reclaimed the girl's mouth with his own, his hands tangling their way within her soft hair before biting her lower lip and sucking it seductively within his hot cavern of a mouth.

Fuu tasted wonderful; Mugen had never imagined up until now what such a taboo of a woman could really be like.

_'All this time she I coulda had her every night'_ he realized, inwardly kicking himself as he began to ravage her breasts with his warm, satin lips. _'This woman, bitch though she is, was given to me as a gift that I've never acknowledged...hell, there sure won't be any more disregarding my own wants and needs!'_

Without warning, Mugen slammed into Fuu's wet sheath, her eyes rolling back in her head as she arched her back and felt him continue to pound into her with each ferocious onslaught that he happened to make.

Grasping Mugen by his well-defined biceps, Fuu then managed to create a rhythm between them, her gasps drowning out the beating of her counterpart's heart within his ears as he briefly saw her beautiful face contort into a look of absolute euphoria. So the rumors were true...the second time _was_ better.

Closing his eyes, Mugen then began to thrust his hips upward in order to meet with Fuu's velvety walls' sensual massaging, his mind seeming to float far from his body as his pleasure suddenly hit its peak and he grabbed his lover fiercely by the hips, sensing that any moment he would explode. She had worked him overtime, it was obvious, and for that he felt he owed her quite a finale.

Getting caught up in her own climax, Fuu found her lips seeking Mugen's once more, her mouth emitting a rather large moan as she felt her slick canal tense up around his thick organ, then coat him with a landslide of her inner cream.

The moment Fuu's lips had touched his own Mugen had blasted off far into the place between nirvana and absolute bliss, his seed shooting deep within her womb in several spurts of hot liquid fire that he feared would never cease. Something about being with a girl so young brought the true man out of him...

Collapsing down atop Fuu's downy breasts, Mugen moaned deeply in-between her soft mounds, then interlocked his hand warmly with her own, panting within the sanction of her neck, "This was just a one time thing...remember?"

Fuu nodded bitterly, yet somehow she smiled because she knew that it was only the beginning...

**A/N:** I've received a request to continue this fic or to write a sequel, but I only will if that's what you guys would like. I'm kind of hoping you guys would like me to since I've had an idea bubbling within my crazy brain for weeks, now. :)


	2. Quite the Shock

**A/N:** Wow…holy crap! Your support was tremendous – I can't thank you guys enough! This almost gave me more than my Cowboy Bebop one-shot from way back in the day, but I decided not to make this a one-shot, as per request. :) I just hope and pray that this chapter keeps you hooked – there's some dirt in here, too, of course – Mugen's a dirty man, so I suppose it's only natural. lol

**CH 2: Quite the Shock**

She was a very pretty girl in about her late teens, the puce of her shaggy locks hanging haphazardly about her shoulders as she leaned over a nearby brook and gazed down upon her mocking reflection in utter revulsion.

The clear brown of her eyes shone with a bitterness that only a Ryukyuan such as herself could possibly possess, her soft lips which had always curved upwards into the most charming of smiles now in a flat plane of desolation.

Subconsciously grasping at the scabbard attached to her belt, the girl envisioned the one man who could save her of the internal hells within her soul and bit her lip. She _had_ to find him...he was her only hope.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Fuu continued to gaze down despondently at her sandals as she walked, the only other sounds in the forest keeping her company besides the redundant clomping of her own feet being the twittering birds and Mugen's obnoxious whistling.

Back at their sleeping quarters they had 'conveniently' run out of firewood, so Jin had had the brilliant idea of sending her out with Mugen to make sure that he didn't run off with some loose woman or chop off a finger.

Although Fuu knew deep-down that Mugen would never mention what had transpired between them the night before, she couldn't help but wish that he would suddenly turn and look at her in a different light - that he'd take her in his arms and tell her that he wanted her, again. She wanted him, and yet she had no idea why. He was crude, disgusting, lascivious, and the biggest asshole that she'd ever met in her entire life. And yet...last night he had proved to her that he could be gentle, warm, and extremely sensual.

The thought of his hands possibly being on her again made Fuu weak in the knees, her doe brown gaze straying over toward Mugen's wiry, yet well-built frame as he continued to perambulate alongside her.

Oh, why wouldn't he look at her? Why wouldn't he _say_ anything? Surely being so intimate had meant as much to him as it had to her!

"Why're you starin' at me like that? See somethin' ya like?"

Gasping, Fuu defensively drew her arms across her petite bosom as she walked, her cheeks now on fire as she found Mugen grinning wolfishly at her from out of the corner of her eye.

"What's-a matter?" he continued to fish. "Were you undressing me with your eyes, again?"

Fuu promptly ignored the dark-haired swordsman, only to let out a shrill shriek the moment he seized her by the arm and wrenched her viciously up against a nearby tree. "Mugen" she gasped, shaking, "W-what are you doing?"

The primal look in his hazy irises was more than enough to answer her question, her eyes squeezing tightly shut once he leaned in against the crook of her neck and took in a deep inhalation of breath.

_"Mm"_ he commented, nipping lightly at her ear, "you smell just like last night when I pinned you down on all fours and fucked you...when I made you come."

Mugen's tone was gruff and extremely sensual, the image of their entangled sweat-slicked bodies bringing a severe shiver to Fuu's spine. "L-leave me alone, Mugen" she bit out, her breath hitching in her throat the moment his enflamed member began to grind longingly against her pelvis. "Mugen, _please,_ I...I..."

_"Do you want me to stop?"_

"Well no, but-"

_"Then shut up."_

Fuu blanched upon being addressed so harshly, yet she soon forgot this once one of Mugen's spindly fingers found its way beneath her kimono and began to skillfully rub against her moist center. _"Mugen!"_ she gasped, grasping him tightly by the shoulders. "Oh, Mugen, _please..."_

"Please _what?"_ he pressed, smirking when the girl bucked up harshly against him.

Blushing, Fuu shook her head in denial, yet Mugen purposely slid one of his slender fingers deep into her slick canal so that she released a small squeak. "Go on" he rasped huskily into her ear, _"say it."_

"But Mugen, I-"

_"Say it!"_

Torn and utterly mortified, Fuu bowed her head in shame, her voice small and breathy as she pleaded brokenly, "Mugen, please...I...I want you to...to make love to me."

He grinned in triumph. _"Hard?"_

"Yes."

_"Long?"_

_"YES!"_

"Well, too bad!"

Laughing like a hyena, Mugen clutched at his sides and gave Fuu a dismissive wave of the hand as he began to search for firewood once more, the poor girl's eye twitching as she dazedly pushed herself away from the tree and released a low snarl.

"You...you _bastard!"_ she screamed, trying her damndest to prevent tears from coming to her eyes. "How could you do that to me?"

Mugen shrugged, not even bothering to look at her. "I dunno...I guess I just wanted to prove that you still wanted me, or somethin'."

"All you proved was that you're an even bigger asshole than I originally thought!" Fuu spat, chucking her sandal gracelessly at his head for added measure. "It's an absolute _miracle_ that women even want to bed you, Mugen, because you're the biggest ass-wipe known to man!"

Mugen grinned wickedly. "Well I screwed _you,_ didn't I?"

Fuu opened her mouth to reply, only to immediately close it. How _could _he?

Just when it seemed that Mugen was about to insult her yet again, a twig snapped loudly in the underbrush, the couple whirling around toward the direction of the alarming noise.

"Who's there?" Mugen demanded, his hand automatically flying to his tanto. "C'mon out here and show yourself!"

Trembling, Fuu watched on as a shadowy figure emerged out from behind the bushes and trees, a small gasp escaping her lips once she saw who it was. _"You..."_

Mugen grew pale at the sight of the intruder, pushing Fuu behind him as he shouted, "Get back, Kohza! You stupid bitch, I outta kill you right here and now!"

"Why, Mugen" she began, feigning shock, "is that any way to treat an old friend?"

**A/N:** Yep, Kohza's back…but what does she want of our dear Mugen? Will Fuu become jealous? (DUH! lol) Thanks for reading, but please review so that I know you still want more! Love ya bunches! ;0)


	3. Getting Her Way

**CH 3: Getting Her Way**

"Put the sword down, Mugen."

_"What?_ No way!" he promptly shot back. "You've proved to me that you're nothin' but a whiny bitch that can never be trusted!"

Kohza sadly shook her head. "Oh, Mugen, how wrong you are" she chided, the soft intensity of her eyes now reflecting like that of sea glass. "I did what I did because I had to...for your sake as well as mine. Surely you must realize this by now?"

"I realize nothin'" Mugen snapped, Fuu watching on with fearful eyes as he dared to take a step toward the girl. "What _you_ may fail to realize, however, is that you're not welcome here. If you're smart, you'll leave this place before I chop ya to bits."

Kohza smiled warmly. "Oh, Mugen, we both know that you could never do that."

"Oh, _no?"_

"Of course not" she continued, clasping her hands to her heart as she looked him fondly in the eye. "We've been through far too much together...if you couldn't kill me before, how could you possibly kill me now?"

Mugen released a low growl, yet instead of hacking her to pieces like Fuu expected, he sheathed his tanto and grudgingly bowed his head. "What the hell do you want from me, Kohza?" he demanded, his tone low and resigned.

"Not much" she assured him softly. "All I want is what you could never grant me before - I want to travel with you, Mugen. I want to _be_ with you."

At these words Fuu couldn't help but flinch, her heart beating painfully within her chest like molten rock as she watched her lover give a weary nod of the head.

"Yeah, sure, whatever" Mugen agreed, "but once you push my buttons, your ass is mine."

"Oh, _thank_ you, Mugen! You won't regret this!" Kohza exclaimed, immediately throwing herself into the stunned pirate's arms and tangling herself fondly about his middle.

_'Yeah, but you'll sure as hell regret this!'_ Fuu inwardly seethed, clenching her fists tightly by her sides as she watched the nauseating display continue to unfold before her. As far as she was concerned, Kohza would be off and packing before the week was through.

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It was twilight by the time that the trio returned, yet Jin took no notice of this, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he lifted his dark eyes up toward the moon and sank deeper into the hot spring by their campsite.

The dull ache in his muscles gradually began to ebb away into nothingness as he soaked, a low 'hn' of contentment escaping his throat as he leaned back against the rocky embankment and drowsily closed his eyes.

Before long, however, Jin soon became painfully aware of the fact that another individual was nearby. The water rippled in accordance with his suspicions, a soft voice rousing an alien emotion within his stomach that caused him to lurch forward in surprise.

_"You"_ he whispered, his eyes immediately narrowing. "I must admit that you have quite a lot of courage to show your face here after all you've done."

Kohza appeared to be considerably taken aback by his tone, yet nonetheless allowed a soft smile to grace her lips as she dared to scoot closer to the ronin. "I know that you must hate me, Jin" she began, "but I did what was necessary. Surely you must know that I'd never willingly harm Mugen?"

"You used his alleged death as a reason for me to murder your brother...you cared _nothing_ for Mugen" Jin accused, sourly closing his eyes so as to shut out the pretty Ryukyuan's pleading visage.

Frustrated, Kohza tried yet again, "That's a lie and you know it, Jin! I...I _loved_ Mugen..." Trailing off, she allowed her shimmering gaze to cast down despondently toward the spring water, her voice soft and pained as she continued, "I don't expect you to accept me as a friend at first, let alone at all, Jin, but Mugen's invited me to come along. For this reason alone I truly hope that you'll reconsider how you feel about me."

"Hn."

Jin closed his eyes amidst an ireful bout of inner resignation, still not even seeming to come to the awkward realization that he was taking a bath with a very pretty and very naked Ryukyu girl. Allowing the curtain of his jet black hair to fan out about his pale, broad shoulders, the ronin returned coolly, "I am not one to harbor grudges, Kohza, and for that reason I will give you one last chance."

"Thank you, Jin" she whispered, a tender warmth filling her voice as she suddenly rose up from her perch, water droplets clinging to her nude form as she regarded him with fond eyes and reached for her towel.

Jin, on the other hand, said nothing, his eyes staying firmly closed as he attentively listened to the girl splash her way out of the water and back onto the embankment. If he had kept his eyes open, however, he would've discovered the tanto clutched firmly between her fingers...

**A/N:** As always, thank you SO much for your support:-D As you can clearly see, this is a filler chapter, thus why it sucked, heh. But what's Kohza planning? Whom does she wish to kill? Whom does she wish to get closer to? What will Fuu do about her? All this and much more will be answered if you continue to be cool little peoples and REVIEW:)


	4. A Rude Awakening

**CH 4: A Rude Awakening**

"Jin…_behind you!"_

Flinching, the ronin opened his eyes in an instant, Kohza's tanto whistling past his head before making its mark within its target in a sickening burst of scarlet.

His eyes widening, Jin became terribly shocked to find a member of the infamous Yakuza lying dead at his side, the tanto now embedded deeply between its eyes.

"Are you alright, Jin?" Kohza questioned, her feet padding softly through the downy grass as she went to retrieve her weapon. Not waiting for an answer, she continued, "If we're smart, we'll pack up and head off for Edo immediately. Who knows how many other Yakuza could be lurking about?"

Jin narrowed his eyes with distrust. "And how do you expect us to just leave when you very well could be a Yakuza, yourself? Perhaps your master plan is to take us all out at the same time once we're in Edo."

"Or perhaps you are far too critical of a judge when it comes to changed individuals" Kohza shot back, a deep scowl souring her pretty face as she held out a hand for him to take. "Shall we go and tell the others?"

Jin ignored the Ryukyuan's outstretched palm, yet he nodded his indifference before rising up and out of the water. "Let's go."

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It was well into the morning when the party of four finally reached their destination, Fuu still painfully aware of the fact that Mugen hadn't uttered a single word to her ever since Kohza had reentered their lives.

It was quite clear to her that the girl and the pirate had been very close in the past, but _how_ close? Had Mugen slept with Kohza, too? Did the Ryukyuan mean more to him than she ever possibly could?

Cursing her poor bout of luck, Fuu frowned to herself as she continued to watch Mugen casually trudge ahead of her, Momo snuggling affectionately against her neck as she miserably bowed her head and sighed.

"At least _you_ care about me, Momo" she whispered, fondly stroking the rodent beneath its fluffy chin. "You truly _are_ my only friend…"

"Quit your yappin' back there" Mugen groused, thus causing the poor girl to flinch in surprise. "This whole stupid journey's your fault to begin with, so the very least you could do is shut up!"

Jin frowned deeply. "There was no need to be so cold, Mugen…this is the first she's talked in hours."

"Hmph – as it should be" Mugen muttered, kicking at a small anthill as he made his way past several shops and food stands. "This whole idea was shit, by the way…you know frickin' well that I coulda taken those Yakuza bastards with my own bare hands!"

"Maybe so" Kohza agreed from the side, "but are you really willing to risk our lives for the sake of showing off your stupid freestyle? Really, Mugen, you haven't changed one bit."

The pirate soured at being addressed so harshly. "Yeah? Well neither have you, bitch."

Kohza didn't respond, her soft brown eyes appearing to be pained as she folded her arms neatly beneath her bosom and bowed her head.

At this very moment Fuu couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, her disdain for the Ryukyuan immediately melting away once she realized that they were both in the same boat. Kohza, too cared a great deal about Mugen, (that much was obvious) yet the self-absorbed prick always pushed her away with rude, snide remarks that would undoubtedly scar her tattered heart. He did this to Fuu, as well, so she couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't just a front to protect himself from getting too close to the people that he cared about. Fuu desperately wanted to ask him if this was the case, but she decided that now wasn't the time – perhaps it never would be.

Suddenly coming to an abrupt halt, Mugen raised his eyebrows and glanced over to his right at a shoddy establishment with a large, wooden sign that read _'Madame Serenity's'_ in bold calligraphic letters.

"Why have we stopped?" Fuu demanded, giving the worn old building a once-over before deciding that it had to be a fluke. "C'mon, Mugen" she chided, "I thought you knew better than this. It's just another cheap scam to swindle us out of our hard-earned money!"

"Maybe so" Mugen agreed, "but something about this place is callin' to me…I have to go in."

"But Mugen, I-"

"Wait here" he commanded, pushing Fuu gently off to the side so that he could enter.

Making his way through the blue beaded curtain at the entrance, he suddenly found himself surrounded by a world of darkness, a thick smoke of what smelled like incense filtering throughout the atmosphere and entering his lungs like a thrilling scented aphrodisiac. He had once tried a hookah throughout his travels, yet this was _far_ better.

"Can I help you, young man?"

Mugen jumped at being caught off-guard, only to immediately curse himself for being so foolish. There, in the corner of the musky room was a small woman in about her late 40s, her wiry frame consumed by layers upon layers of multi-colored silk and lace. Her slanted, almond-shaped eyes were closed in what almost appeared to be prayer, her tiny mouth opening and closing along with what he guessed to be some sort of ethereal mantra.

Raising an eyebrow at her off-the-wall manner, Mugen finally dared to draw nearer, explaining lamely, "I dunno if you can help me or not, lady – I just felt like I had to go in, 's all."

"Well good, because I've been expecting you."

Mugen gawked at her in surprise, clearly disbelieving her. "You _have?"_

"But of course! Madame Akira Serenity knows all!" she explained, proudly lifting her chest out as she reached into a gilded box and unearthed a small deck of Tarot cards. "You want your fortune done, yes?"

"Uh…yeah, sure" Mugen agreed, more than ready to perform his typical 'take-it-and-leave' technique of payment if need be. When Akira didn't name a price, however, he immediately relaxed, his taut, wiry frame taking a seat in front of her as she began to glide her hands along the cards and swiftly cast them out onto the table in between them.

As soon as they were all set up, Akira reached out a bony bronze hand and flipped the card in the far left-hand corner over onto its back. "Ah, the Wicked Woman" she announced, eyeing Mugen with a newfound type of interest. "Is there a woman currently in your life?"

"I've got two squallin' wenches that travel with me, if that's whatcha mean" the Ryukyuan returned elliptically, a wry smile suddenly coming to his lips as he folded his hands smugly behind his head. "Are you tryin' ta tell me that one of those chicks'll try an' get naughty with me?"

Akira frowned. _"Hardly._ What I'm trying to say is that one of your women will lead to your eventual downfall – that is, if you're the only male traveler in your party."

Mugen made a face. "Why the hell would one of them come on to _Jin?_ That ugly Fish Face is a complete loser!"

"Or perhaps you are jealous of this Jin" Akira suggested, thus causing the pirate to flinch.

"What? _No way!_ I'm completely comfortable with who I am!" Mugen shot back, by now unable to keep the heat in his cheeks from rising. When Akira merely shrugged in return, he urged sourly, "Go on, get on with it, will ya? I don't got all day!"

In spite of being addressed so crudely, the clairvoyant flipped the next card over and bit the inside of her cheek after discovering what laid there. "The Tower of Destruction" she breathed, glancing up at Mugen with frightened eyes. "Surely you must know what this means?"

Mugen drooped. "Lady, do I _look_ like a frickin' mind reader? Of _course_ I don't know what it means!"

Akira bowed her head so that she didn't have to gaze directly into the Ryukyuan's eyes before returning softly, "You and your party are in store for a great disaster up ahead. Although I cannot yet tell you what that disaster is, you must proceed in your travels with great caution."

"_Yeah?"_ Mugen finally appeared to be interested. "What's the next card say?"

Akira moved to object, only to immediately close her mouth and do as she was told. By this point she knew that dealing with a man of Mugen's caliber was far too difficult, yet that made her next discovery no easier to handle.

"Oh, my God" she breathed, throwing a hand over her mouth in horror. "It cannot be!"

"What?" Mugen demanded, desperately trying to see, _"what is it?"_

Akira's eyes grew glassy and she cast her gaze off to the side, her tone now unbearably soft and breathy as she revealed, "Your final card is the card of Death."

"B-but there are more, so why can'tcha just-"

"I will read no more!" the clairvoyant harshly cut in, her dark eyes glittering and full of life. "The cards do no lie, Mugen-san, so you must now face your fortune on your own!"

Mugen blanched. "Wait, h-how did you know my name? Who's supposed to die? Why can'tcha just-"

"Go, you foolish, Ryukyuan, _go!"_ Akira pleaded, her eyes by now full of tears. "I cannot bear to witness the pain of others, so please…just _go!"_

Stunned, Mugen staggered back up and to his feet and ran as fast as his own two legs could carry him, his mind whirring a mile a minute with what horrors had just transpired as he couldn't help but feel wary of his own fate.

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That night Mugen was uncharacteristically passive, Fuu now watching him from out of the corner of her eye as they continued to eat around the small fire at their latest campsite.

Ever since the Ryukyuan had gotten his fortune done he hadn't uttered a word, a permanent scowl now marking his face and leaving Fuu with an odd sinking feeling within the pit of her stomach. It pained her deeply to see him so distraught, yet she knew better than to ask him what the trouble was.

Bringing her chopsticks up to her lips with shaking fingers, Fuu couldn't help but choke on her rice the moment Mugen sourly got up and flung his bowl into the fire, the group's eyes widening as they watched him tromp off toward the far clearing with his tanto in hand.

Jin immediately looked to Fuu so she nodded, rising as well before excusing herself and beginning her frenetic trek after the reckless pirate.

"Mugen!" she called, racing frantically after his rapidly retreating form, _"please_ stop! You're not making any sense!"

Mugen, on the other hand, only sped up his pace, his brows drawing together as he inwardly resolved to never speak to Fuu, again – it would only succeed in making things worse if he did. _Much worse._

"_Mugen!"_ Fuu finally tried again, an unmistakable sob now within her voice, _"please_ stop! _Please…"_

To her utmost surprise, the pirate _did_ stop, the curve of his spine slumping over in defeat so that his broad shoulders immediately followed suit and left him with a miserably dejected stature.

"What do you want, Fuu?" Mugen demanded, his voice surprisingly hushed and defeated. "I ain't got a damned ryo to my name, so surely you don't want me to stick around just for my money."

"No" Fuu agreed, wiping away at a lone tear, "but I – erm…_we_ need you here. All I want to know is why you're behaving like a child, Mugen. Something happened today in Madame Serenity's and I need to know what it is!"

Mugen smirked. "You _need_ to know, huh? Since when do you give a damn about my private life?"

Fuu felt her cheeks flush a brilliant shade of scarlet in response, her mind subconsciously thanking Buddha for the darkness that currently masked her true reaction.

When she didn't answer him, Mugen finally whipped out a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it into her palm, returning dryly, "There…that's what's wrong."

"A bloody hanky?" Fuu questioned, eyeing the soiled cloth with utmost confusion. "I-I must admit that I don't understand. What's all this about, Mugen?"

He smirked, yet she noticed that the typical smoldering passion in his wild russet eyes were now a cold and subdued gray, his spindly fingers wrapping about the handle to his tanto before he leaned in against the blade and released a very Jin-like "hn".

"Mugen?" Fuu continued to press, by now fully frightened. "Please tell me what's wrong! It's cruel to do this to me after all we've been through!"

Mugen's smirk only widened, yet this time he finally relented, "I'm dying, Fuu…is that what you wanted me to say? I coughed up that blood earlier this evening."

"Well no, but…wait, _what?_ Mugen, I-"

"Goodnight, Fuu."

Before she could even stop him, Fuu miserably watched the Ryukyuan trod off down along the hill and back toward the campsite, tears streaming past her long kohl lashes and over her soft cheeks as she clutched the bloody handkerchief tightly to her bosom.

"Oh, _Mugen…"_

**A/N:** Yep, as you can clearly see, this will be a bittersweet fic…but a surprise ending, it shall be. :) Don't ask me why I'm talking so strangely, it's 5AM, so yeah…TIRED. Hope you enjoyed! More Fuugen moments on the way…another LEMON is in store, too, so you've been forewarned! REVIEW! ;0)


	5. Denial

**CH 5: Denial**

Mugen awoke to the blissful chirping of mating songbirds, the gentle western breeze whisking through his dark locks as his gray eyes beheld the golden spectacle of the sun rising over the bowing beach grass against the horizon.

How could everything possibly be so beautiful when he felt so despondent and out of his element? Last night with Fuu had only further proved to him that she couldn't handle whatever illness now clutched him possessively within its vise-like grip, so he knew that he had to distance himself from her as much as possible. That way, he decided, he wouldn't be forced to be in some mushy sentimental conversation that would make him want to vomit the wild rice he'd had with yesterday's meal.

"_Mugen?"_

He groaned. Welp…so much for _that_ idea.

Regarding the girl with disinterested eyes, Mugen placed his hands behind his head for support, questioning lazily, "Whaddaya want, Fuu? It's too damn early for this kinda intrusion."

"Mugen, it's 1:30 in the afternoon!" she argued, her previous excitement now gone from her face as she crouched down on both knees and dangled some sort of leather satchel beneath his nose.

"What the hell's this?" the Ryukyuan demanded, eyeing it with slight agitation. "Unless it's booze, I don't want any."

Fuu frowned deeply. "Mugen, for once in your life, could you _please_ get serious? This stuff could save your life!"

"_Hm?"_

Leaning forward and sniffing the parcel with a newfound type of interest, the dark-haired vagrant immediately made a face, complaining irritably, "Gods, this stuff smells worse than ass and rotten sewage! Where'dja find such nasty crap?"

"Madame Haruka" Fuu whispered, her face now devoid of its previous vitality as she bowed her head forward in despair. "She's a witch doctor I happened to meet yesterday while you got your fortune done, a-and I know that this medicine's gross, Mugen, but I can't believe that you're just willing to throw away all your chances because it _smells!"_

"Hey, I never said I wouldn't take it!" he irritably shot back, swiping the satchel and dumping the dried contents into his mouth in order to prove his point, but not without gagging miserably.

"Mugen, you _dolt!_ You're supposed to mix that with plenty of water!" Fuu chided, her brows furrowing as she tightened her fists within her lap. "Now we'll have to go back to Madame Haruka to get more since you just ingested an entire _week's_ worth!"

Mugen soured. "Blech…I think I'd rather eat shit. This stuff's so terrible it's beyond description!"

"You know, a simple thank you would suffice" Fuu grumbled, sending him a pointed look. "I busted my bum trying to get that medicine for you!"

"And a fine bum it is."

"_Go to Hell."_

Mugen chuckled, absently marveling at the delightful shade of pink that her cheeks had now become. He'd never admit that she was beautiful, but he _was_ capable of viewing her as being pretty…

"What are you staring at?"

"Your ugly face" he smoothly shot back, relishing in Fuu's ireful shriek as she gave him a vicious slap on the arm in retaliation, in which he promptly remarked that she hit like a girl.

Needless to say, this didn't go by Fuu too well at all, the pink in her cheeks rapidly intensifying to that of crimson as she jumped Mugen and fiercely wrestled him to the ground. "You insufferable _prick!"_ she shrieked, hitting him yet again, "How could you be so cold when all I want to do is save your miserable life?"

Mugen's gray eyes dulled, then, his bottom lip quirking ever-so-slightly as he returned coolly, "Well maybe I don't wanna be saved, Fuu…I think that in the long run it'd be a whole lot easier for everyone if I just dropped dead."

Fuu gasped. "Mugen, how could you _say_ such a terrible thing? That's not true and you know it!"

"_Yeah?"_ He finally smiled again, briefly allowing the rough pad of his thumb to brush against her cheek before brining his hand back down in order to position it upon his torso. "Just give it a rest, will ya? You're wastin' your breath."

"But Mugen, I…" Fuu bowed her head, daring to lean down and place her cheek against the crook of his neck before finishing forlornly, "I've already lost my mother, so please……I don't want to lose you, too."

"Fuu…"

"No, Mugen" she interrupted, now holding him tighter than ever before, "if you're going to argue with me, at least wait until later. For now I'd like to stay like this…just for a little while longer."

Mugen opened his mouth to argue, only to immediately close it, inwardly conceding that it was best to give in to Fuu's wishes. Slowly wrapping his lanky arms about her slender form, he then tangled his fingers within her soft hair and allowed himself to briefly forget his illness and just concentrate on the one person who truly cared: insufferable little Fuu.

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When Mugen finally returned to camp (Fuu had retired a few hours earlier) he found Jin standing watch over Kohza's sleeping form, a smug smirk tugging at the corner of the pirate's lips as he teased, "What, afraid that the boogeyman'll get 'er? You never did that with Fuu."

"You were never awake to know" Jin returned sternly, his gaze never straying from the girl's peaceful visage as his grip tightened about his daisho. "After what's happened the other day with the Yakuza I'm not taking any chances – you shouldn't be, either."

Mugen visibly soured. "Well where's the fun in _that?_ You know damn well by now that I can handle those clowns with one arm tied behind my back!"

"Maybe so" Jin agreed, "but if you won't do it for yourself, at least do it for Fuu."

"_Huh?"_

The ronin allowed a ghost of a smile to grace the corners of his lips due to Mugen's apparent state of oblivion, his next words slow and deliberate as he solemnly revealed, "She _loves_ you, Mugen – surely by this point in our journey you must realize this. Why else do you think she worships the very ground you walk on?"

"Easy…'cause I'm studly" Mugen returned matter-of-factly, grinning from ear-to-ear before easing himself down into a sitting position. "That" he continued, "and 'cause I ravage women like an animal – who _wouldn't_ be in love with me after such mind-blowing sex?"

Jin visibly soured. "For Fuu's sake I will pretend I didn't hear that, Mugen. A girl's affections are nothing to be toyed with."

"Sheesh, who died and made _you_ Pussy of the Year?" the vagrant groused, chewing on the inside of his lip before leaning back on his elbows. "Is it 'cause-a that Kohza chick? You've been actin' awful weird ever since she's joined us, ya know?"

Jin's eyes narrowed. "Do _not_ change the subject, Mugen – down by the river is a young woman that cares for you unconditionally, yet you obviously don't even give two shits about her well-being."

Mugen's eyes widened at this declaration, not used to seeing the ronin so bent out of shape, let alone swearing like a sailor. "Well, I…um…"

"Go to Madame Haruka in the morning" Jin interrupted, his dark eyes burning like two hot coals behind his glasses. "That's the _only_ way that you will give Fuu peace of mind, so please…for _once_ in your life do what's right."

For the first time in his pitiful existence Mugen had nothing witty to say in return, his jaw tightening as he wordlessly rose from his perch and stormed off in the opposite direction of the campsite like a soulless drifter without a cause.

"Did it work?"

Finally opening her eyes, Kohza drew herself up and turned to Jin, continuing hopefully, _"Well?_ Is he going to Madame Haruka?"

"I honestly don't know, Kohza" the ronin whispered, slowly shaking his head. "He seems to be terribly distraught."

The Ryukyuan nodded sorrowfully, only to suddenly place a supportive hand on his knee. "Thank you for being here for me, Jin…if you hadn't…well…I honestly don't know how I would've been able to handle everything. Mugen's the only one who's ever been somewhat of a friend to me in my entire life, but now that I have you I feel as if I have new hope."

Jin glanced down at the girl with wary eyes, careful to keep his visage absolutely unreadable as he returned coolly, "I'm tired….I think I'll go lie down for a while."

Absolutely astonished by this, Kohza fell forward due to the momentum of the skilled swordsman rising to his feet, her doe brown eyes wide and filled with unshed tears as she watched him wander off toward the sleeping quarters like that of a phantasm in the wind.

"Not you, too" she whispered, her bottom lip quivering, _"I can't lose you, too!"_

**A/N:** Yeeeah, so now the question remains if it was Jin or Mugen that Kohza originally came to see…that, of course, and how Mugen and Fuu will overcome his devastating situation of life and death. Things like this often bring people closer, so over the next few chapters you will finally see the two bond – and, like I stated earlier, there WILL be a **lemon**, so you've been forewarned twice now! It will probably be either the next chapter or the one after, but I'm not making any promises…I'm just going with the flow. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter – please comment! ;0)

**P.S.** If you're absolutely bored out of your MIND, I just wrote another Fuugen that's 2 chapters long and…well…just see for yourself if you're interested. :-P lol I need at least 10 reviews to continue - Thanks!


	6. A Time of Change

**CH 6: A Time of Change**

"May I sit here?"

Fuu looked up with considerable surprise, only to immediately stiffen upon realizing who it was. "Oh…it's you" she mumbled, crossly looking away before continuing to dip her toes in the stream before her. "What do you want, Kohza?"

The Ryukyuan appeared to be considerably hurt by her reaction, yet nonetheless situated herself down beside Fuu with utmost determination reflecting within her eyes. "Look" she began, "I know that you hate me for what I've done, and I can accept that, but what I _can't_ accept is that you haven't even given me a chance. I know I don't deserve it, Fuu, but I honestly, genuinely like you. You're a lot like me…we both love deeply and passionately, yet are easily hurt by those we adore."

Fuu bristled. "What on earth are you talking about? How could you possibly know _any_thing about my feelings?"

Kohza laughed as if she had just heard a wonderful joke, returning as if it were obvious, _"God,_ Fuu, how dumb do you think I am? You wear your heart on your sleeve like a true prude – I'll bet you're still a virgin, too!"

"I am _not,_ I-" Fuu gasped, immediately throwing a hand over her mouth. "How _could_ you? Y…you're _disgusting!"_

Kohza, on the other hand, appeared as if she had just been severely wounded. "You slept with Mugen, didn't you?"

_"What?_ I-"

_"Didn't_ you?"

Fuu's eyes widened considerably due to the unanticipated attack, yet she somehow managed to retain her composure as she nodded slowly. "Yes" she finally revealed, "I…I did."

"I _knew_ it" Kohza hissed, her fists tightening considerably at her sides. "So much for being the pure and innocent Fuu that we all know and love – I can't _believe_ I ever looked up to some recycled tramp!"

Fuu gasped. "But I…I didn't _mean_ for it to happen! Mugen seduced _me,_ not the other way around!"

_"Lies!" _Kohza screamed, throwing her hands over her ears, _"all_ lies! What in Buddha's name would Mugen want with some titless twig when he could have a _real_ woman like me?"

Fuu flinched, yet she said nothing. Kohza was right – what _did_ a man like Mugen want with a girl like her when all he had to do to get some experienced lover was go to the red light district?

Kohza took Fuu's silence as a victory, the Ryukyuan only further pouring salt in the wounds as she added nastily, "I know you'd like to think so, Fuu, but you're not the _only_ one Mugen's tried to seduce. He's got a real nice set of abs, don't you think? And then that exotic taste of his skin…it's _yummy,_ huh?"

That did it.

Releasing a loud, unbridled shriek, Fuu tackled Kohza into the dirt of the riverbank and socked her squarely in the nose, the Ryukyuan's eyes widening once she lifted up a shaking hand in order to feel a think rivulet of blood trickling down from her left nostril.

"Y-you _bitch!"_ Kohza snarled, only to receive yet another vicious blow to the face, "Get off me, get _off!"_

"Only when you take it back!" Fuu sobbed, feeling the Ryukyuan's blood beginning to stain her fists as she continued to pound her. "Tell me it's not true…tell me Mugen's capable of loving a woman and not just using her!"

Kohza smirked, her busted lip leaking down her chin as she returned triumphantly, "I can't, Fuu – you know that as well as I do. Mugen's completely incapable of being tamed, so enjoy what little – excuse me, _big_ part of him you can while he's still interested in playing with you."

"Stop it!" Fuu wailed, slapping her clear across the face, "Just _stop_ it!"

"You're nothing but a toy to him, Fuu" Kohza continued, ignoring the painful stinging in her cheek, "an insignificant little play thing. It's better that you learn this now than later."

Finally fed up with the Ryukyuan's smug taunting, Fuu reached inside her kimono and unsheathed her pink-lacquered tanto, Kohza's eyes widening greatly as she watched the girl run her thumb along its sharp blade.

"Hey…w-what do you think you're doing with that?" Kohza demanded, the fear evident within her voice. "If you think that killing me will end your troubles with Mugen, you're a lot more disturbed than I originally thought!"

Fuu ignored her, a wild, almost malicious glint reflecting within her dark irises as she raised the tanto above her head, Kohza gasping as the girl suddenly fell forward in a limp heap into her arms, a small blow dart embedded deeply within her companion's neck like that of a marker on a treasure map.

Screaming, Kohza tried to move, only to release a strangled choke the moment a new blow dart whistled through the air and sunk deep into her flesh. She, too, succumbed to the world of darkness, her eyes rolling back in her head as she collapsed heavily amidst the dirt embankment and didn't move.

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When Mugen returned to camp from his bath in the hot springs, he noticed Jin hunched over something around the man-made fire he'd created, his stony features completely unreadable, yet appearing to be none too pleased.

"What's up, Four Eyes? Get dumped by your boyfriend?" Mugen jeered, perambulating over toward the ronin before realizing that now wasn't the time for jocularity. "Hey" he tried yet again, "What's got you so pissed off? Did Fuu wash your hakama without permission, again?"

Jin wordlessly lifted a small note in answer, Mugen anxiously swiping the parchment from his outstretched grasp before raising it up to his eye level at an attempt to read its message. Although he had most definitely learned to read the written word, some phrases were still out of the realm of his comprehension.

"Uh…travelers" he began, scratching his head, "I am writing with the hopes of reaching some sort of…erm…something or another, so I regret to inform you that we have your two women and plan on…doing something-something if you do not cooperate. You have until sunrise to come and…um…_blank._ Most humbly yours, Tanaka Ichiro of the Yakuza."

Frustrated, Mugen immediately turned his attention back over to Jin, demanding earnestly, "And what the hell does _that_ all mean? That guy's so frickin' eloquent I'm surprised I could even understand any of it at all!"

"He has Fuu and Kohza" the ronin stated simply, casting his gaze down toward his bare feet as he noticed Mugen stiffen out of the corner of his eye. "He says he's willing to negotiate their lives in exchange for ours, but we must do so before sunrise because they cannot ensure their safety and survival. If we move swiftly, we will reach the Yakuza-owned brothel in which they're being stationed in about three hours."

Mugen leered suggestively. "Well it's about _time!_ I haven't gotten laid in God knows _how_ long…think you could get your ass movin' so we can hurry up and get some action?"

"You mean…you care _nothing_ for Fuu and Kohza's well-being?" Jin demanded, absolutely incredulous. "I find that to be very hard to believe."

Mugen rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest before returning defensively, "Look, Four Eyes, can't I enjoy myself _and_ save those whiny chicks at the same time? It's only fair since I have to put up with them day in and day out."

"And must I remind you of Fuu's feelings?" Jin continued to press, inwardly hoping that the vagrant was only shielding his true intentions.

Mugen immediately soured, his tone clipped and straight to the point as he retaliated, "And must _I _constantly remind _you_ that I don't give a damn? Get off my back!"

With that said, the pirate tromped off to begin packing, Jin completely unable to prevent himself from feeling that Mugen's sudden aggression had stemmed from something much deeper…

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Fuu awoke to find herself beaten and bloody, either wrist bound sloppily behind her back and securing her tightly to a small wooden chair that left her with next to no comfort.

When she tried to speak she found that it was utterly useless, her mouth so dry that she felt as if she had been eating nothing but sand for the past few hours.

With a quick once-over of the room, Fuu soon discovered that Kohza was bound to a similar chair in the far left-hand corner, the girl's eyes wide with terror as she desperately tried to wriggle free of her rope bindings and escape.

"Don't bother" Fuu rasped, finally finding her voice, "We're stuck here pretty good. There's no use in wasting your strength when you might need it later."

Kohza appeared to be absolutely incredulous. "What, so you're just going to give up? If we work together, we might be able to get out of here!"

"And what good would _that_ do? We both hate each other's guts, remember?"

Kohza opened her mouth to reply, only to immediately close it, her visage reflecting her hurt as she returned, "I never hated you, Fuu…I said what I did out of jealousy. I know it was a cruel and hateful thing to do, but…well…I just couldn't stand to see Mugen care for another woman more than he's ever cared for me."

Fuu immediately looked up. "Y-you mean it? Do you _honestly_ think that Mugen cares about me?"

"Of course I do" Kohza returned, nodding. "He's an odd sort of man, yes, but I say this because he shows little to no interest, whatsoever toward the people he actually loves."

"But why-?"

"Just trust me on this, Fuu" the Ryukyuan pleaded, her bottom lip protruding ever-so-slightly as her eyes shone with earnest. "If we try to escape, you can ask Mugen how he feels yourself, but if you give up like you are now…well…" Kohza gave a helpless shrug, trusting her companion to fill in the blank.

Finally putting two and two together, Fuu began to struggle and squirm for everything she was worth, Kohza releasing an elated sigh of relief before she, too tended to her bindings.

After a few fruitless minutes of struggling, however, both immediately came to the unfortunate conclusion that mindless tugging wasn't going to get them anywhere.

"Kohza" Fuu called, thus causing the girl to look up in an instant, "do you see the candle over there by the door on that crate?" When she nodded she continued, "Scoot your chair over there until you reach it, and when you do, tip your chair back and try to burn your ropes."

Kohza looked as if she might object, yet the moment she thought of her unforeseen fate she panicked, her chair making several creaky groans of protest as she began to scoot toward her desired destination in a frenetic succession of graceless hops. Upon reaching the wooden crate, the Ryukyuan shifted her weight forward and pivoted her chair around so that her back was now facing the candle, beads of sweat beginning to accumulate along her brow as she tipped the chair back and sought the small flame with her wrists.

"C'mon" Kohza whispered, squeezing her eyes tightly closed, "Come _on!"_

_Click. _

The two girls froze in an instant, Kohza frantically vaulting herself forward so that she was a decent distance away from the candle as the iron-clad door swung wide open with a stiff and rigid groan.

Breathing heavily and clenching her fists, Kohza watched on with frightened eyes as a robust man in about his early 40s emerged from the shadows, a large sneer filled with gold teeth gracing his wormy lips as he released a tremendous laugh and clapped a hand roughly down upon her shoulder.

"You ain't thinkin' of escapin', now are ya, girly?" he demanded, his grip tightening to the point of pain as he gave the Ryukyuan a menacing look.

Kohza immediately shook her head, tears forming behind her kohl lashes as the man allowed his hand to drift down further and fondle her left breast.

"Well good" he cooed, giving her a firm squeeze, "cause good 'ol Boss Ichiro's lettin' me rough you two up real good before those no account swordsmen show up."

Fuu gasped. "You mean…Mugen and Jin are coming for us?"

"Yeah, why shouldn't they? Ain'tcha their whores?" the man fished nosily, thus causing the two young girls to blanch.

"We are _not_ their whores" Fuu hotly shot back, her bottom lip trembling due to her tremendous ire. "Just because _you're_ a sniveling, drooling baboon doesn't mean that it's not above your brain capacity to show a woman a shred of respect!"

The man opened his mouth to reply, only to immediately close it, his dark eyes bulging along with the thick veins on his head as he sprung forward and seized Fuu viciously by the throat. "You're gonna regret that one, wench" he hissed, his fingers digging roughly into the column of her throat. "In fact, screw the orders! I think it's time for a good old-fashioned torturing!"

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"Mugen…_behind you!"_

The dark-haired pirate grunted as he dove forward into a graceless somersault, the katana which had threatened his very existence slicing precisely where his head had been only moments before.

Grinning due to the adrenaline rush over nearly losing a limb, Mugen flipped back up and onto his feet, his eyes fiery and burning with a mad passion as he sprang forward and embedded his blade deep within the chest cavity of his attacker. With a tremendous burst of scarlet, the Yakuza's blood painted the Ryukyuan's face with its thick life-bearing sustenance, a pleased smirk forming along Mugen's lips as he darted past the deceased and moved on to the next assailant.

On the other side of the brothel portico Jin seemed to be faring just as well, if not better, his dark eyes cold and steely as he thrust his daisho behind him and into the solar plexus of his opponent without so much as the blink of an eye.

Sensing the presence of another adversary, the ronin spun about and raised his weapon in order to block the stalwart blow, Jin's eyes narrowing upon his gaunt face as he delivered a kick to the Yakuza's gut and decapitated him in one full sweep. The disembodied head rolled across the wooden planks of the floor and came to a dead stop at Mugen's feet, the vagrant grinning a Cheshire grin as he scooped it up to rest against his toes before launching it into his opponent's face with one fluid kick of the leg.

Crying out due to the horrific diversion, the Yakuza barely even had time to register his fear before he, too was dead.

Glancing up into the dark western sky above them, Jin clenched his jaw once he realized that it was only mere moments away from sunrise – they had to do something, and _fast._

"Mugen!" he called, grunting once another Yakuza came charging at him from the side, "Go and get the girls – I'll stay here and fight them off!"

The pirate balked. _"What?_ No way, Four Eyes! _You _go and do the pansy rescue job while _I_ stay here and fight!"

"Fuu needs you" the ronin immediately objected, delivering a perfect swipe to his foe's torso before returning his attention back over toward the vagrant. "If you leave now, there still may be enough time."

Releasing a growl full of utmost frustration, Mugen cursed Jin's very existence for stealing all the fun, his brows drawing inward as he took off at top speed for the entrance of the brothel. This time, however, he wasn't a customer…

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Coughing up her own blood, Fuu weakly turned her head away from the man's searching gaze (he had finally revealed himself to be named Kenshi) and fought off tears as he struck her yet again.

"Stop cryin', bitch!" he growled, only to shake her roughly by the shoulders. "All you're doin' is makin' this much harder on yourself, so shut up an' suck it up!"

Miserably biting her lip, Fuu squeezed her eyes tightly closed and tried her best to ignore him, Kenshi irritably taking her by the hair before forcing her down and to her knees in front of an old wooden bucket. In a flash, he dunked the poor girl's face into the water as she kicked and thrashed about, her high-pitched screams garbled and muddled as she tried her damndest to resurface.

"Hold _still!"_ Kenshi growled, pushing Fuu down even further into the water so that it sloshed precariously over the sides. "If you don't cut it out, I'll be forced to do something _far_ worse!"

Rationality, however, was one thing that Fuu had absolutely zero of at that given moment, so she did what any smart girl would do: with one reckless swipe, she sent the bucket barreling off to the side, her lungs burning as she opened her mouth up wide and inhaled the precious air with a desperation that she never knew possible.

"You little slut!" Kenshi snarled, seizing Fuu and pulling her up by the collar so that she could now meet with his burning gaze. "Because-a that little maneuver I'm _really_ gonna letcha have it, now!"

Whimpering, Fuu let out a cry once he threw her back down to the hardwood floor and withdrew a dull and rusted hook from within his pocket, his lips forming into a devilish grin as he jovially ground out_, "Let the games begin!"_

Kohza, meanwhile, was still bound to the chair in the far left-hand corner of the room, her doe brown eyes wide and fearful as she desperately sought to free herself. Fuu needed her help, yet she couldn't do a single thing about that until she was out of the bindings. During her earlier attempt with the candle the Ryukyuan had actually managed to weaken the rope fibers, but they still weren't showing any signs of giving out.

"Come on, now" Kohza cooed, wriggling desperately about, "I _said,_ come _on!"_

With an exultant gasp, the Ryukyuan felt the bindings snap directly in half, yet just as she leapt up from her chair with the intention of saving Fuu, a red blur entered the room like that of the mad dashing of an inmate escaping prison.

"Mugen!" Kohza exclaimed, her eyes wide, "You actually _came_ for us!"

The pirate ignored her, for his blazing eyes were currently resting upon Kenshi trying to hang Fuu by the skin of her back onto his trusty hook. Her arms and legs were already badly scratched, the dark hollowness within her irises reflecting her true fatigue and defeat as she slowly raised them up in order to lock eyes with her savior.

_"Mugen"_ she whispered, completely doubting what she was seeing, "you…_came…"_

Kenshi moved to grab his tanto, but Mugen was far too fast for him. With a series of frenzied swipes, the vagrant disembodied each of the Yakuza's limbs before plunging his katana deep within his stomach with a sickening twist of the blade.

Wincing as a fountain of blood sprayed upward and decorated Mugen's wild and scruffy features with its gruesome makeup, Fuu felt herself beginning to cry as she still tried to assure herself that Mugen _did_ come for them and that it wasn't just some wild, crazy dream. She had been _so_ sure that he regarded her and Kohza as nothing but worthless loads, and yet here he was…weary, beautiful, and at their very disposal.

Finally removing his katana from Kenshi's bloodied torso, Mugen wiped it clean and sheathed it, only to release a pained groan and clutch at his stomach amidst a sudden aggrieved delirium.

_"Mugen?"_ Kohza questioned, her bottom lip trembling with uncertainty, "A-are you alright?"

Grunting miserably in answer, Mugen staggered forward into Fuu's tiny form before grasping her feebly by the sleeves, his legs giving out beneath him once his pupils began to dilate to a frightening degree.

_"Fuu"_ he rasped, his hands frantically grasping at her waist, "help…_me…"_

_"Mugen!"_ she screaming, shaking him frantically by the shoulders, _"MUGEN!"_

He didn't respond, his eyes rolling back in his head as he lifelessly fell forward into the security of Fuu's arms and didn't move.

**A/N:** Yep, I'm evil, huh:) I hope you guys enjoyed it, though, and I also hope that it was well worth the long wait. This chapter took me SO freaking long, and I have no idea why – I guess because when I have fight scenes I typically slow down, as well as with love scenes. And since the **LEMON** is in the next chapter, guess what _that_ means:-P lol

I found myself wondering why this fic sucked, and I realized it was because there was no fighting! So there, I gave you guys some action…and then there will be a very DIFFERENT kind of action in the next chapter, haha. I hope I'm keeping Mugen in character, too – he's a pretty darn hard guy to nail when he's falling in love. Tell me if I'm ever slipping!

**Requests:** If you ever have requests, complaints, or some suggestions, I'd be more than happy to hear them. After all, I'm writing this for YOU! ;0P


	7. Desires Are for the Insane

**CH 7: Desires Are for the Insane**

When Mugen finally awoke it was a cool September morning, the effervescent slivers of golden sunshine streaming in through the overhead window and blinding him to the point of aggravation. By this point he felt as if one of those comical anvils had fallen on top of his head and cracked his skull directly in two, the throbbing in his temples only intensifying as he tried to focus his hazy vision upon the small figure leaning over his nude form.

From what Mugen could see, it was a woman – perhaps an angel – with soft brown locks and large, insightful eyes that seemed to be trying to excavate him to the very core.

"Mugen" the finally figured called, tentatively touching his cheek, "can you hear me?"

Oh, boy…so now crow men weren't coming after his soul, but pretty little angels. At least this time around the taker of his spirit wasn't such a freaking eyesore.

When the angel's persistence didn't stop, however, Mugen immediately came to the realization that it wasn't an ethereal figure, but insufferable little-

"_Fuu"_ he rasped, wincing due to the pain in his throat, "what the hell happened to me? Where are the others?"

"Jin and Kohza are fine…they're back at the campsite" Fuu assured him, her features softening as she took a damp cloth and gently dabbed it along his forehead. "You've been here at Madame Haruka's for the past week now, but don't worry; she said your fever's finally breaking."

Mugen visibly stiffened. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"_What?_ Well, I-I couldn't because-"

"Why the _hell_ didn't you just let me die?" the pirate hotly interjected, his hand weakly lurching forward and seizing her abruptly by the wrist. "Better yet, why the fuck didn't you just put me out of my misery? There's no way in hell I wanna live like this anymore!"

Fuu gasped, her eyes widening to a considerable degree as she tried to shake him off. "W-what are you talking about? Mugen, I – OW! You're _hurting_ me!"

"Then listen up" he snarled, his eyes gleaming with a mad passion unlike any that she had ever seen in them before. "I want you to kill me, Fuu – if some damned disease slays me, what kinda messed up legacy is that? Unless I die by the sword, my life will be completely meaningless and unfulfilled, so please…_kill me."_

"Mugen…" Fuu whispered, her eyes wide with fright, "I…I can't, I just-"

"Do it."

"NO!"

"Why the hell not?"

Fuu immediately turned her back to him, her eyes dark and filled with tears as she returned tartly, "You're impossible, you know that? After all we've been through together, you just expect me to be able to murder you in cold blood?"

Mugen scowled. "You're being ungrateful."

"No, _you_ are! After all we've ever shared, you're still just as selfish as the day we met!"

"And in spite of all that, you're still here" Mugen pointed out, Fuu's eyes narrowing into two dark slits as she recognized the smug undertones to the vagrant's voice.

She still loved him and he knew it, so she said the only thing that remotely made any sense to her at that given moment: _"Bastard."_

Mugen grinned a wicked grin, the carnal fire reflecting within his eyes frightening the girl to no end as he reached out a hand and gently touched the svelte curve of her cheek. "You're such a stubborn bitch" he commented, "but at least you're _my_ stubborn bitch."

"Why you _insufferable_ little-" Fuu gasped, her words immediately dying on her tongue as she stared down upon Mugen's smug countenance in absolute wonderment. "Wait a minute" she began, by now completely breathless, "Did you just call me…_yours_?"

"Yeah, what of it? You might as well be mine since you're constantly hangin' on me like a third arm" Mugen groused, lazily closing his eyes as the dark-haired girl gave him an evil look.

"Well if you were so darn opposed to my company, why didn't you just say so?" Fuu demanded, by now absolutely livid. "Honestly, Mugen, just when you seem like you might actually care you have to say something lewd or disgusting!"

The Ryukyuan looked up at her, then, his gray irises mellowing slightly before he turned his head away and stubbornly said nothing in return.

As if sensing his sudden agitation, Fuu finally decided that it would be best if she just shut her mouth as well, her eyes lowering back toward her task at hand as she remoistened her rag and applied it to the purplish bruise on Mugen's cheek.

"Ow" he muttered, wincing as she did it yet again.

"Sorry" Fuu apologized, pausing with her work in order to brush a loose strand of hair out of his line of vision so that he was now forced to meet with her saddened gaze.

_"What?"_

"Nothing" she immediately returned, sighing as she moved to place the rag back into the basin at her side.

Mugen, however, was completely unconvinced. "Stop bullshitting me" he growled, thus catching her completely by surprise. "Ever since you've found out I was dying you've been actin' all weird and crap, so I really wish you'd stop being so 'sentimetal', or whatever the hell it is and wise up."

Fuu blinked. _"Sentimental?_ Mugen, how can I _not_ be after we've been traveling together for so long? I….I've grown to really care for you…"

He smirked. "Yeah, yeah, I like you, too, kid, but let's not get all mushy, alright? That stuff's for pussies."

Fuu smiled, yet not because of his final comment. Mugen had actually just said that he liked her, which she knew very well was as close as she'd ever come to having him admit his true affections.

"Thanks, Mugen" she whispered, leaning over his muscular form before placing a single desirous kiss upon his unshaven cheek. "That really means a whole lot to me."

The Ryukyuan's eyes shot up to meet with Fuu's gaze, then, a low and predatorial growl escaping his lips as he tangled his fingers within her soft locks and sought her mouth roughly with his own.

The kiss was short, but enticingly brutal, Fuu gasping for breath as Mugen forced their lips back together and drove his tongue heatedly into the expanse of her tiny mouth.

Mugen honestly didn't know why he was responding to the girl in this manner, but something about the possibility of never making love to a woman again shot off a series of warning bells throughout his entire system. Somewhere deep inside he really _did_ care about Fuu, yes, but his desire to satiate his needs was currently far stronger.

Growling into their frenzied kiss, the Ryukyuyan grinned as he noticed the look of absolute disgust and arousal upon Fuu's face as he licked the expanse of her cheek and sucked against the frantically beating pulse of her neck.

"Mugen" Fuu rasped, panting heavily within the security of his arms, _"please…"_

"Please _what?"_ he demanded, a knowing smirk adorning his lips as he stealthily flipped her over beneath him and straddled her waist.

Fuu squirmed in between his legs due to her sudden apprehension, yet she finally managed to stammer, "Please don't do this unless…unless….you…..you love me…"

"I want your hair down" Mugen growled, completely ignoring her request, altogether as he buried his face deep within the crook of her neck and inhaled her intoxicating scent of flowers and dried vanilla.

Tears of delight came to Fuu's eyes as she relished in him touching her just as he had before, her hands tangling their way within his bushy hair as he tore her kimono open down the center and immediately began ravaging her torso like a needy animal.

_"Mugen!"_ Fuu squeaked, arching up against him as he bit one of her breasts and licked the perky bud with the heat of his tongue, "Mugen, _please…"_

Grinning against her silken expanse of flesh, the Ryukyuan allowed his lips to travel lower and lower until he reached the pale cloth of her undergarments, his gray eyes now burning lustfully back into Fuu's own dark ones as he allowed his spindly fingers to rub teasingly against her moist womanhood.

_"Mugen"_ she gasped, releasing a pitiful whimper as he finally removed her of her bothersome clothing, the dark cloud of his hair descending in between her thighs until she let out a shrill squeak. _"Mugen!"_ she screamed yet again, subconsciously pulling him closer, "Oh, Mugen, _please…"_

The Ryukyuan grinned amidst his oral administrations, his throat releasing a low rumble of satisfaction as he drilled his tongue deep within her silken tunnel and grasped her firmly by the hips so that she couldn't move.

Latching her legs tightly about Mugen's neck, Fuu released a strangled moan and wove her fingers deep within her hair, her eyes rolling back in her head as she felt herself spasm about the pirate's tongue in one delectable sweep of desire.

"Mm" Mugen voiced lecherously, Fuu feeling her cheeks redden to a delicate rosy hue as he removed his tongue from within her moist entrance and slowly returned it back into the recesses of his mouth. _"Yum."_

_"Mugen!"_ Fuu shrieked, absolutely horrified, "Why did you _do_ that? You're such a horn dog, and I – _hey!"_

Blushing, Fuu found her hand now resting against his enflamed manhood, the pirate's grasp only tightening about her wrist as he forced her to cup him.

Once she began to respond to Mugen's innermost desires he started cursing in a language that was completely alien to her ears, her eyes squeezing tightly closed once he began to pump his length relentlessly through the tight grasp of her fingers.

"_Jesus!"_ Mugen swore tersely through his clenched teeth, the muscles of his well-defined biceps flexing as he began creating a deliciously alluring rhythm with his hips that sent his aching loins barreling in and out of Fuu's tiny hand at top speed.

Within moments he came all over her stomach and breasts, her eyes heavily lidded and dusky as she took his hand and forced him to scrape off some of the substance before placing it delicately within her mouth. Moaning about Mugen's come-slicked fingers like a wanton siren, Fuu then ran her tongue along the expanse of his palm before engulfing his thumb and licking the last of his essence away from his shaking appendages.

Groaning from somewhere deep within the back of his throat, Mugen moved in to kiss her, but Fuu stopped him by nailing him directly in place with the look in her hauntingly dark eyes.

"Please only kiss me if you love me, Mugen" she whispered, tears forming along her kohl lashes as she cupped his face and gazed up tenderly toward his confused countenance. "If you don't, I…I honestly don't think I could take your forced affection. Now that we have no way of knowing when our last moments together could be, I want us to make love like _true_ lovers do…like we're in love."

"But I kissed you earlier" Mugen pointed out, suddenly pouting once he began to grow slightly limp due to the young beauty's constant chatter. "Ain't that good enough for ya, Fuu? I thought you liked it when I got rough."

Fuu blushed. "It's not the same, Mugen…I-I need to feel _loved,_ not used like some recycled tramp!"

"Well whoever said that being with me _made_ you one?" he demanded hotly, the fire in his eyes only intensifying as his grip about her tightened. "If you want the blunt truth, Fuu, here it is: I ain't never been good to any of my women, so if you want out, leave while you still can. I can't ever be the man you want, and you should know that by now 'cause I ain't gonna change."

"You don't know that" Fuu whispered, the defeated look in her eyes giving her a sadly pathetic appearance.

Something within these words made Mugen hard again, a wolfish grin coming to his lips once he realized that she still wanted him. Maybe he couldn't give her his love, but he sure as hell could give her his body…

Fuu seemed to immediately take notice of his sudden disposition, a deep shade of scarlet rapidly blooming out across her cheeks as she felt the pirate's insatiable desire wedging itself longingly in between her svelte thighs.

"Mugen" she whispered, her eyes still shining with tears, "are you sure that…that this is what you want?"

"Would I still be hard if it wasn't?"

"Mugen, you _jerk,_ I – _mmph…"_

In one full sweep the pirate shamelessly cut Fuu off by planting his lips firmly over her own, his body marveling at the way everything he touched on her felt like silk against his sand paper skin. He had been through Hell and back, and yet she barely even had a scar to her name.

In accordance with these thoughts sheets of rain began to mercilessly pelt their current inn from overhead, a loud clap of thunder sounding in time to Fuu's unbridled shouts of passion as Mugen continued to dutifully hover over her trembling body. His eyes were wild, merciless, and filled with such desire that his counterpart had to close her own so that she could still the frantic beating of her heart.

Mugen, however, would not allow this, Fuu releasing a strangled moan once he imbedded himself deep within her throbbing womanhood and crushed his mouth hungrily to hers, his voice breathy and tainted by lust as he growled huskily against her lips, _"Look_ at me, Fuu..._look into my eyes."_

At first Fuu tried to resist, yet once Mugen began to deepen his strokes she gasped, a soft mewl of pleasure escaping her lips as she whimpered into the crook of his neck and frantically groped her lover by the shoulders. "More, Mugen" she pleaded, her eyes shadowed with desire. "Please..._more."_

"Only if you look at me" he agreed, a triumphant smirk coming to his lips once Fuu cast her dusky gaze up to his, her eyes simultaneously rolling back in her head as her lover began to pound into her with a more driven force than ever before.

"You're such...an arrogant...creep, sometimes" Fuu gasped, wincing once Mugen chuckled into her ear.

"You have _no_ idea" he agreed.

Opening her mouth in order to retaliate, Fuu released a soft gasp, instead, her head dropping languidly back against her pillow as Mugen continued to ravish her torso with the tremendous fire of his lips. Her passion erupted deep within her being and enveloped her lover within its sweet embrace, her body shivering and quaking beneath his own as they shared one single lustful shout.

Cursing, Mugen felt as if his insides were on fire, his long withheld desire for the girl in his arms exploding from deep within his soul and into her womb in one full sweep. Moaning, he dropped down listlessly atop Fuu's lithe form, now weary, spent, and completely satisfied.

Snuggling up against the pirate's broad chest, Fuu couldn't help but allow several tears to stream down her cheeks as she held him as close as she dared.

Did Mugen really care, or was he just using her as an outlet to purge himself of his current stresses?

Was this truly the last time that they'd make love, or would he return to her later on professing his undying love? Would he die before they could even cross that borderline?

'_No'_ Fuu stubbornly told herself, _'you can't think about that right now…Mugen needs you to be strong for him.'_

Deciding that this was the best that she could do for her love, the dark-haired girl placed a hand against the steady beating of Mugen's heart and drifted off to sleep in accordance with his gentle breathing.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Jin? Can I talk to you?"

The ronin eyed the young Ryukyuan girl as she stood shyly before him, his pointed gaze softening before he nodded his consent and turned his attention back over toward the blazing fire in between them. Something about his stance brought an indelible fear to Kohza's sol, yet she swallowed her monstrous pride and forced her long legs to bend at the knee so that she was now sitting directly beside the dark-haired samurai.

"Jin" she began, her bottom lip trembling, "do you…d-do you hate me?"

The ronin's eyes immediately swept over to the girl's shaking form, his brows drawing inward as he demanded, "And what is the meaning of such a question? I must admit that I find it to be completely ridiculous."

"Please answer me" Kohza begged, her large irises quivering with unshed tears as she sorrowfully bowed her head. "I…I really need to know…"

Jin's initial reaction was to sit and do absolutely nothing, yet when she looked at him with those dolefully penetrating eyes he knew that he could never deny her. Earnestly reaching out a pale hand and placing it over the bronze one on Kohza's thigh, he immediately became delighted once an infectious smile slipped out across the Ryukyuan's lips and nearly left him smiling as well.

Before the ronin could congratulate himself for cheering Kohza up, however, the expression of happiness died upon her lips nearly as quickly as it had come.

"You will hate me now" she finally whispered, removing her hand from the ronin's as if it were a poisonous tentacle. "I wish it weren't so, Jin, but I can't bear the thought of keeping my secret from you a moment longer."

Jin immediately stiffened. "What secret do you mean?"

"The one for why I am here" Kohza whispered, daring to lean in toward his shoulder as she clutched possessively at his arm. "At first I wanted to kill Mugen, yes, but now that I've met you, I finally realized that I can be happy. Unfortunately, I realized all of this far too late."

"Kohza…"

"No, Jin" she interrupted, immediately shaking her head, "please let me finish. At first I was jealous of Fuu because she was clearly your and Mugen's primary concern, but now I realize that she's not in love with you like I originally feared. I didn't kill Mugen like I was instructed to because I _care,_ Jin…I care for _you."_

The ronin flinched. "Who are you working for?"

"Oh, Jin, that no longer matters! I lo-"

"_Who_ are you working for?"

Cringing at his surprisingly harsh reaction, Kohza hurriedly shrank back as if she'd been burned, her voice soft and defeated as she whispered, "I was hired by the Yakuza….i-is that what you wanted to know?"

The ronin said nothing, yet she could tell by his expression that he wanted nothing more than to dispose of her at once.

Her bottom lip trembling, the Ryukyuan unsheathed her tanto and held it out to him, urging in a surprisingly strong and resolute voice, "Take my blade, Jin, as you have already taken my soul, and drive it straight into my tattered heart. Without your love I no longer have the desire to live, so please…kill me."

"Kohza…"

"_Do_ it!" she screamed, thrusting the tanto forward and into his hands, "Avenge your wounded pride and kill me! It is only fitting that the man I love should slay me, so please…end my wretched life before I can harm another!"

Jin slowly bowed his head as he raised the tanto within his grasp, his eyes meeting with the Ryukyuan's as he then realized that it was his duty to do as she so desired. "I _am_ sorry" he murmured, his gaze never wavering from her own.

Squeezing her eyes tightly closed, Kohza clutched Jin by the waist and leaned back so that her breast was now exposed to the tanto, a silent prayer escaping her lips as she overheard the blade whistling through the night air in an attempt to make its final mark.

**A/N:** Yeeah, it's been a while, but I warned you that writing lemons takes me forever and a day:-P How was it? Good enough for your standards? College is awesome, guys, so you'll love it – I even have time to write:)

As for "Mugen's Secret" and "Deliverance", don't worry, I HAVEN'T forgotten them, just like I haven't forgotten my Bebop fics, for those of you who actually go back that far with me. I really _should_ finish those, though, shouldn't I::laughs nervously:

Anywhos, this fic is, alas, nearing the end, so review me PLEEEEEEASE! I need to know if this is any good and, the way I see it, you're stealing if you read without commenting! LoL Well maybe not THAT severe, but still! Love you guys! Until next time! ;0)


	8. Requiem for the Damned

**CH 8: Requiem for the Damned**

Jin closed his eyes in utmost concentration as he raised the tanto in a foreboding manner, his heart uncommonly frantic within his chest as he began to feel terribly sick to his stomach. By taking Kohza's weapon he had silently vowed to carry out her plea and he knew this, yet by _God,_ he wished that it wasn't so.

With a baited breath, Jin brought the blade down in a jerky motion as if his arm were attached to a string, a low grunt escaping his lips the moment a short, sharp pain erupted throughout his torso like that of a searing conflagration. Shocked, the ronin dropped the tanto and immediately doubled over in anguish, his gaunt face contorting along with his deep incredulity as he felt as if the very life were draining out of him.

Reaching out an unsteady hand, Jin clumsily fumbled for the area of pain, only to feel his torso drenched with a warm and sticky substance…

_Blood._

"Kohza" he choked out, _"…why?"_

"I had to, Jin" she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears. "The Yakuza ordered me to dispose of _you,_ not Mugen, and if I refused to carry out this order I, too, would have to die."

"So you chose sin…over _honor?"_ he wheezed, his vision beginning to go dangerously in and out of focus.

Kohza inclined her head so that she was now gazing up into the dusky heavens above, her tone incredibly hushed as she ventured, "From up there we're nothing but grains of sand, Jin. What do one's decisions even matter when we live in a world where everything is so insignificant?"

"I don't…believe that" Jin counterattacked, his ink black hair falling across his line of vision as he reached out a shaking hand and grasped her by the shoulder. "You are what you choose to be in this life, Kohza…live it to the fullest while you still can."

"Jin…" the Ryukyuan whispered almost tenderly, her dark eyes pooling over with tears as she dared to run her fingers along the smoothness of his pale cheek. "I _am_ sorry…can you ever find it in your eternal soul to forgive me?"

"I harbor no grudges" he whispered, only to stiffen the moment she embraced him.

On instinct, Jin's daisho sliced through the space between them in a perfect arc, a foul spray of blood splattering his face and accentuating his doleful features as Kohza limply fell forward and into his arms.

"Jin…" she gasped, her eyes widening as her nails bit into the flesh of his wrists, "How could…_why_ did you…?" Coughing, the Ryukyuan released a pitiful moan once her own blood began to ooze out past her lips and dribble down over her chin, her eyes shining with hurt and betrayal as she leaned into the ronin and shuddered.

_"Thank you…"_ she suddenly whispered, thus causing Jin to glance down at her in utter amazement until it finally dawned on him as to why she was so eternally grateful. He had ended her life and that, in turn, had freed her from the shackles of her everyday trials and tribulations.

Placing a hand gently against the small of her back, the ronin pulled Kohza's lifeless form against his chest and held her close, all the while wondering how on earth such a twisted soul could tug at his hardened heart _so_ incredibly much…

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Fuu ran her slim fingers along the expanse of Mugen's chest as they continued to lie tangled up together beneath the glowing lamplight of the hut, her appendages pausing over each individual scar and indentation as if trying to commit them all to memory.

He was like a trail map, she realized, and a very beautiful one at that. Each cut and puncture wound led to new and untold stories that she so desperately yearned to uncover, to taste, to _experience._ A great deal of them, however, were also because of her, and these were the ugly, puckered scars that left her heart bleeding tears of crimson.

How could she have ever been so stupid…so _selfish?_ If it weren't for her amazing ability to constantly wind up being kidnapped, Mugen wouldn't have needed to get sliced open for her sake again and again. For once, Fuu decided, she would protect _him,_ and that was a promise that she so desperately yearned to keep.

Running her fingers down along the bruised span of his unshaven cheek, Fuu felt her heart restrict painfully within her bosom once she thought of the possibility of never waking up to the warmth of Mugen's strong embrace, again. She had grown to care for him so deeply, and now that the jaws of death had him close at bay, she was eternally afraid that he would be snatched from her clutches without so much as a warning.

The wheezing noises that he made when he breathed did nothing to quell her taunting fears, either, and she'd been finding more and more blood stains as of late on his clothing when she washed them.

_Why _was he trying to cover up his illness? She didn't want him to die, and yet…

Fuu shuddered.

What if Mugen _wanted_ to die? What if she wasn't enough of an anchor to keep him from drifting away into the unknown? Maybe he no longer needed her…

Closing her eyes, Fuu slowly rested her head down against Mugen's chest and fought back the bitter onslaught of tears that threatened to tear her apart in her very heart and soul, her fingers seemingly having a mind of their own as she slid them down along the Ryukyuan's arm and interlocked her hand fondly with his own.

As luck would have it, this was the very moment that Mugen decided to awaken, his dark eyes peering back at her curiously before he groaned and released a wretched curse. _"Shit."_

"Mugen?" Fuu questioned, her voice reflecting her apparent hurt.

"Shit, shit, _shit"_ the Ryukyuan growled sourly in return, his muscular form shooting up like a spring before he thrust the covers from their nude bodies and turned his back to her in what appeared to be frustration.

"This should've never happened, Fuu" he muttered, still refusing to look at her. "When I said that our first incident was a one time thing, I meant it. I don't know why I grabbed ya like I did, but I know that it wasn't 'cause I care or anything, so you can just go ahead an' get that idea outta your dizzy little head."

"Mugen…" Fuu whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, "surely you felt at least _some_thin-"

"_Shut up!"_ he snarled, shocking her once he spun around and nailed her directly in place with his penetrating gaze. "I don't love you, wench, and I _never_ will, so quit blubberin' like some sniveling harlot and get outta here!"

Torn, Fuu immediately burst into tears, the kohl from her lashes intermingling with the saline mixture and sliding down her cheeks in several charcoal-gray splotches of pain and woe. "I hate you" she finally whispered, her voice growing more and more resolute as she rose from her perch. "Do you hear me, Mugen? I _hate_ you!"

The Ryukyuan merely smirked in return. "Well good, bitch, 'cause that makes two of us."

Fuu stood there, then, absolutely astounded, the delicate strands of her heart snapping in accordance with her inner turmoil as she suddenly found it to be terribly hard to breathe.

Mugen…_hated_ her? She had only said what she did out of defense, _not_ truth – she loved the vagrant more than she'd ever willingly admit, and it pained her deeply to realize such a fact.

Just as Fuu opened her mouth to tell him this, however, a loud and hollow knock resounded from outside the front door, thus causing her to glance over to Mugen in disgust before tossing him one of the blankets and wrapping the other about herself for the sake of propriety.

Hoping that the caller might be Madame Haruka back from the village, Fuu eagerly opened the door in expectance, only to gasp in absolute horror at what she saw.

There, leaning weakly against the doorjamb was Jin, his raven-black hair falling out across his sorrowful features as he tenderly tried to support the small body of a young woman against his broad chest.

_Kohza…_

"Jin!" Fuu exclaimed, her eyes now falling upon the various splotches of blood on both the Ryukyuan and the ronin. "What the heck happened? What are you-?"

"Please" Jin whispered, his tone incredibly hushed and pained, "all I ask is that we briefly postpone our trip to Nagasaki so that we can return to Ryukyu and give Kohza a proper burial. After all I have done, it is the very least that I can do for her."

Mugen stiffened at the mentioning of his birthplace, yet he found that he could say absolutely nothing, his stomach giving an uncharacteristic churn at the sight of his childhood friend all bloody and lifeless like a puppet whose strings had suddenly been cut.

He had often suspected that Jin had a soft spot for Kohza, and now that the ronin was just about ready to shoot their mission straight to hell for her sake he was almost sure of it. And yet…somehow there was something missing…

"_Mugen!"_ Fuu scolded, thus causing him to look up in an instant, "Give us a hand with the body…Jin's hurt!"

"That _body's_ name is Kohza" the ronin returned in a surprisingly icy tone, Fuu now bowing her head in shame as Mugen moved in to take the Ryukyuan away from Jin's protective grasp, but to no avail.

"Hey, what gives, Fish Face? I'm tryin' to help ya out, here!" Mugen growled, only to grow silent the moment his eyes met with the desperate black pools in the ronin's despaired irises. He actually _cared_ about her…

"I can do it, myself" Jin murmured, his zombie-like state immediately melting away once he struggled to prove himself to the others. Wound or no wound, he _would_ try to make it up to Kohza in the only way that he knew how: through the code of bushido.

Staggering so that one foot shakily crossed over in front of the other, Jin gritted his teeth and limped onward, nearly collapsing with relief once he reached Mugen's cot and finally laid Kohza down to rest atop its scratchy surface.

The look upon her face was so angelic, so _serene…_it was truly almost as if she were merely lying down and taking a quick nap.

Bowing his head, Jin solemnly pressed his palms together in prayer and released a deep exhalation, both Mugen and Fuu watching on in silent discomfort due to not knowing what to say or do to help.

It was quite apparent to Jin that he had intruded upon them when something rather voluminous had occurred, yet he no longer cared now that he had actually slain a woman. True, she had tried to assassinate him, yet she _had_ seemed genuinely remorseful, and for that reason alone he should have abided by his code of honor.

Finally fed up with the unbearable bout of silence, Mugen demanded sourly from the sidelines, "So when're we goin' to Ryukyu, Four Eyes? We'll need a ship, so if we're gonna get one we'd better leave now."

Fuu gasped in absolute dismay. "Mugen, _no!_ What about your illness? You need to stay here so that Madame Haruka can heal you!"

"Psh, screw that! I'm not gonna stay here like some pussy while you guys go off and bury that wench, so just forget it!"

"But Mugen, I-"

"Fuu" Jin suddenly interjected, thus catching her completely by surprise, "we cannot do this without Mugen's experience with ships, so _please…_as soon as we give Kohza a proper burial, I promise you that we can return and Mugen will continue with his treatment."

Fuu appeared to be torn for a moment, yet when she looked into the ronin's pleading eyes she knew that she could never deny him his request. She, too would have done the same if Mugen were in Kohza's place, so with this thought searing across her brain like an indelible fire she finally agreed, "Very well, Jin…we'll leave immediately, if that's what you truly want."

"I do" he whispered, his normally cool demeanor deteriorating as he bestowed the young girl with a warm and pleasant smile. "Thank you, Fuu-chan…I know how much Mugen's recovery must mean to you."

Fuu blushed, yet she purposely ignored Jin's final comment, altogether, her tone firm and irrevocably resolute as she urged, "Alright, then…let's go."

**A/N:** :sigh: Welp, I hardly received any reviews for last chapter, but that's ok…as long as those of you who ARE reviewing keep it up I suppose I can finish. It just takes a tad longer without inspiration, you know?

But anywhos, someone asked me how much longer this will be, and I estimate about 3-4 chapters more, perhaps? I honestly don't know because this is taking on a completely different direction than I originally anticipated as it is, and I've got some fan art up for this fic and I'm rather excited about them since I did a decent job., Unfortunately, I will NOT show them to you yet since they're spoilers! Welp, PLEASE R&R if you want me to crank out these chapters faster! Love you!


	9. The Wicked Truth

**CH 9: The Wicked Truth **

A dark and foreboding surfeit of clouds gathered amidst the crimson horizon of the eastern sky, Mugen's eyes narrowing considerably once an old sailor's shanty suddenly came to mind:

'_Red sky morning, sailor's warning.'_

"Looks like we shoulda waited until tomorrow to set sail" the pirate grumbled, a deep frown gracing his lips once he abandoned his position at the quarter deck and hopped down next to Jin by the hatch. "Is Fuu downstairs in one-a the cabin thingies with Kohza?"

Jin glanced up at him, yet he said nothing.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" Mugen growled, taking the ronin abruptly by the collar and giving him a rough shake. "Just 'cause your stupid little girlfriend bit the dust doesn't mean that ya hafta act like there's a stick up your ass!"

That did it.

In a flash, Jin's fist connected with the side of Mugen's stubbly face, the stunned vagrant falling flat on his rump before staring up at the ronin with wild and angry eyes.

"What the hell was that for, you dumb ass? I'm just tryin' to help ya snap out of it!"

"Have you been toying with Fuu, again? Remember that I saw you when I arrived at Madame Haruka's yesterday evening."

A wild conflagration blitzed out across Mugen's aphotic irises in accordance with this unanticipated attack, his voice low and gruff as he snarled, "That's none of your damn business, Jin! Quit tryin' ta change the subject!"

The ronin seemed to take no mind in the pirate just having used his actual name, yet his tone grew cold and clipped as he frigidly returned, "You've forced Fuu into early womanhood, Mugen. She is just a child, yet you robbed her of her untouchable innocence and forced her to wait on your every need. Men of your caliber are the ones who rape innocent children and slay helpless mothers, so I hope you can live with that."

The salty breeze whistled through Mugen's wild hair as he allowed the magnitude of Jin's accusation to finally sink in, his eyes cold and distant as he gruffly turned about on his heel and stormed off in the opposite direction, truly not giving a damn as to where he ended up.

As he passed the entrance to one of the cabins, however, a sweet and melodic voice beckoned to him in such a sorrowful manner that he was compelled to stop and listen.

'_Non nobis Domine, non nobis,_

_Sed nominee tuo da gloriam, propter sed nomine tuo de gloriam,_

_Propter misericordiam tuam, propter fidelitatem tuam'_

Pressing the door open a crack, Mugen peered into the dank room and rested his curious gaze upon Fuu's dejected figure, tears streaming down along her cheeks as she continued to light the plethora of candles all about Kohza's peaceful form in mourning.

'_Quare dicant gentest, quare dicant gentes:_

"_Ubinam est Deus eorum? Ubinam est Deus eorum?"_

_Dues noster in coelo est;_

_Omnia, omnia quare voluit, fecit'_

It was then that Mugen realized that Fuu's attention wasn't focused on Kohza, but the mortar and pestle that she held possessively within her nurturing grasp. As he continued to observe her she began to mash several herbs and spices together into a green mixture, her tears now transforming into soft sobs as she placed the concoction off to the side and desperately folded her hands in prayer.

"Heavenly Father, please guide me toward the right path, for I am terribly confused. I can't seem to remember all of the ingredients that Madame Haruka instructed me to give Mugen, so _please_ help me to do so, Lord. I don't want him to die…"

By this point Mugen couldn't listen anymore, his heart uncharacteristically heavy as he forced himself away from the door and scowled. Something about Fuu praying for his well-being like that made him feel weird, and he didn't like it one bit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took a few hours before Mugen finally quelled his anger and discomfort, a low snort of acknowledgement escaping his throat as he nodded toward Jin's general direction with severe disinterest. By this point the two were merely tolerating one another's presence, so any actual vocalized words were most certainly out of the question.

Although Mugen's pride was still considerably bruised from what had transpired between them earlier on that day, there was still no way in hell that he'd let Jin know this. That, after all, was accepting defeat, and he would _never_ give the pencil neck the satisfaction.

As Mugen was contemplating all of this, the ronin happened to glance over in his direction as the Ryukyuan leaned in against the siding of the boat. The samurai's eyes closed in meditative appreciation once he realized that his silence wasn't to be disturbed, the serenity suddenly being shattered the moment a pitiful sniffling sounded from the captain's cabin.

Raising his disconcerted gaze up toward the source of the noise, Jin felt himself momentarily stiffen upon the realization that it was Fuu…_crying._

"Ugh, what _now?"_ Mugen groused, immediately dismissing her with a wave of the hand. "If it's not one thing with you, it's the other – this deck ain't for any pussified emotions."

Instead of heeding his suggestion, however, Fuu miserably withdrew the parchment that she had been hiding out from behind her back, Mugen's previous outrage immediately dissipating into nothingness upon spotting the note within her grasp.

"It's from Kohza" Fuu explained, thus causing Jin to give an unexpected jolt upright. "She wanted you to read it aloud, Mugen…"

Placing an unreadable scowl upon his face, the Ryukyuan swiped the letter from her outstretched hand and snorted. "Psh, no _way!_ It's too frickin' long!"

"Just _read_ it" Jin snapped, shocking both Mugen and Fuu due to his insistent tone of voice.

Rolling his eyes, Mugen muttered a vindictive _"fine"_ before begrudgingly beginning:

"Dearest Mugen,

I trust that since you are reading this that I'm now officially dead or close to it. You may not believe this, but I only accepted the Yakuza's proposal so that I could end up being 'accidentally' killed in the line of duty, thus bringing me to the main point of this letter.

"I never told you this, Mugen, but when we grew up together Mukuro often raped and beat me, thus why I always had bruises and other questionable marks on my body. This in turn is why I wasn't a virgin when we first made love, but believe me, if I could make it so that _you_ would've been my absolute first, I would've done so without a second thought.

"Not long after you left Ryukyu I discovered that I was two months pregnant. Fearing that it was Mukuro's, I went to the local clairvoyant who cheerily revealed to me that it was yours. I hope you don't mind, Mugen, but after I gave birth to our beautiful baby boy I named him Jin. I know that this might seem a little odd to you, but before I got to know him for his true beauty I found him to be very sweet and honorable. That, and he finally rid me of my ties with Mukuro…Jin _freed_ me, Mugen. He allowed me to live again in ways that I never knew possible.

"Sadly, as you have probably already perceived, my happiness over little Jin was incredibly short-lived. When he was three weeks old he broke out into a mysterious fever where he'd have chills and nightly sweats. Within a week he had lost all of his appetite and developed a terrible cough that caused him to have shortness of breath. Incredibly frightened (as you can well imagine, I'm sure), I took little Jin to the witch doctor, only to have him tell me that our child had a severe case of tuberculosis in the lungs. When I asked him how on earth my son could get such a terrible disease he told me that _I _had been the carrier. Upon that very moment I had a sudden epiphany: Mukuro had shown similar symptoms while raping me, so I must have contracted the disease and then passed it on to little Jin. I then put two and two together and realized that, if this were the case, that I, too, was destined to die.

"As you might have guessed by now, when I finally met up with you I tried my best to get either you or one of your friends to kill me as underhandedly as possible. I mostly wanted to die not only so that I could be with my child again, but because of the reason that I was the initial cause of your illness, as well. When I found out that you were sick I began to panic…I knew that what you had was an automatic death sentence and I didn't want to be around when it happened. Whether it be three weeks or three years, your time could come at any given moment, which is what brings me to the most important portion of this letter.

"If there's one thing that you'll ever oblige to, please let it be this, Mugen: _let_ Fuu care for you. She's your only hope _and_ she loves you more than life itself, just as I once did. Believe me when I say this, Mugen, because I recognize the look in her eyes when she's with you; she's _happy_ and I want that to last. Let her love you…only then can you both find true happiness, and you both more than deserve the blessed opportunity.

"And Jin, if you ever find out anything else about me, just know that I love you very much. It's hard to think about how deeply I've fallen for you after only a mere matter of weeks, especially when I already know that our love can never be. No fairytale, after all, has ever had a noble samurai and a terminally ill Ryukyuan fall in love and live happily ever after.

When you sit on the beach think of me – remember how we're all grains of sand from up there in the stars, just as I've remembered that you said we are all in charge of our own destinies. Unfortunately for me, my destiny has already been decided, but you, Jin, still have your whole life ahead of you. Live it to the fullest, just like everything you do.

Devotedly Yours,

Kohza"

Slowly lowering the note Mugen regarded both Fuu and Jin with indecipherable eyes, revealing lowly, "That's it…that's all she said."

Jin said nothing as he closed his eyes, the wind whistling through his hair as he wordlessly rose from his perch and made his way toward Kohza's cabin.

Fuu moved to go after him but Mugen caught her by the wrist, his gaze firm and unwavering as he accused coolly, "You told her to write all that bull about us, didn't you?"

_"What?_ No, I-"

"Did you _honestly_ think that it would work?" he continued, giving a disbelieving snort. "God, Fuu, sometimes you make me sick with your unrealistic views on love and other cooty-ridden shit. When will you just wake up and realize that I can't love you?"

Fuu balked, yet she still managed to whisper stiffly in return, "Maybe I'll wake up when you learn that you actually _do _deserve love, Mugen. You're not as much of a monster as you make yourself out to be."

Mugen frowned deeply, something alien and completely intangible flashing out across his stormy irises before he let out a frustrated growl and turned in order to make his leave.

"Yeah, that's what I thought" Fuu snapped, her voice gradually rising in volume as she stared him down. "It's such a _big_ surprise that the courageous Mugen-chan is running away – he _never_ stays and faces his problems like a man because he's nothing but a big, stupid coward!"

_"What_ did you say?" Mugen demanded, his eyes flashing dangerously as he rounded about on her in an instant. "If you've got somethin' to tell me, wench, speak up!"

Fuu appeared to be defeated for a moment, the vitality in her pupils uncharacteristically weak as she bowed her head and mumbled, "Never mind, Mugen…I'm sorry."

The vagrant gave her a cocky smirk. "Yeah, that's what I thought, bi – _ugh."_

In a flash, Mugen was on his knees, a terrible cough racking his body as he fought tooth and nail to stave off the terrible dizziness that currently held him by the throat. He was losing ground, and _fast._

"Mugen!" Fuu shrieked, dropping frantically down and to his side, _"Mugen!"_

"Stay back!" he growled, shuddering as a small trickle of blood dribbled down past his chin and landed with an dull plop onto the hard wooden floor. "Trust me on this one, kid, if you get too close, you'll get it, too."

"I don't care anymore" Fuu whispered, her eyes shimmering with an overwhelming amount of fondness as she tenderly cupped his cheek. "As far as I'm concerned if you die, _I _die."

"Fuu…"

"No, it's true" she insisted, leaning in and giving the vagrant a fierce embrace about the middle. "Please don't leave me, Mugen…I _need_ you."

Something within these words made the otherwise indifferent Ryukyuan grunt, his heart feeling heavy within his chest as Fuu began to sob softly into his haori.

"Cut that out" he grumbled, his tone amazingly lacking all conviction.

"Only when you promise that you'll overcome this disease" Fuu agreed, her irises shimmering with earnest as she gently encircled his hand with her own.

Mugen smiled, yet it lacked all mirth. "You know I can't do that, Fuu. If Kohza and our freaking kid couldn't even make it out alive, what makes you think _I _can?"

"Because I can cure you" Fuu insisted, her tone now soft and pleading. "If you just agree to take my medicine, I _swear_ that I'll leave you alone and won't press the issue any further."

Due to having overheard her prayer Mugen knew that she was lying about knowing how to make him well again, yet he decided to shut her up about it by assuring her that he'd at least _try_ to stay alive.

Upon this declaration Fuu buried her face affectionately against Mugen's broad chest, the steady undulations of his breathing comforting her since with every breath she knew that he would stay alive at least one moment longer…

**A/N:** Oh, yay, another angsty chapter from yours truly:-P lol Welp, hopefully you enjoyed it – SO sorry for the long delay. College work and whatnot…but now it's fall break, and I cranked this out just in time! I actually finished it during a class, but my professor doesn't have to know that. ;0) I honestly don't know if people still read this anymore, so show me your support, please! That's how I get the chapters out faster, and there are only ::GASPETH:: two chapters left!!!!!!!!!! The next one's a reeeeeeal doozy, so hopefully you won't kill me too hard and you'll enjoy. LOVE YOU!

Here's the translation to what you read – I felt it fit in with Mugen's situation since it's saying how people (in times of need) ask where God is, but that in the end God does whatever pleases him. Hmm, that sounded kind of offensive…I DO believe in God, so don't think I'm slamming Him by my explanation, if it sounded sacrilegious! Oh, and I only know this song (by Johannes Brahms) because we're singing that in my University's choir – SOOO pretty:)

_Not to us, O Lord, not to us,_

_But to they name ascribe the glory,_

_For thy true love and for thy constancy._

_Why do the nations ask,_

"_Where then is their God?"_

_Our God is in high heaven;_

_He does whatever pleases him."_


	10. Kyrie Eleison

**A/N:** Here we are at last, folks – the "surprise" chapter, as in there are tons of surprises. Don't be naughty and skip to the end, because I worked super hard on this stupid chapter! Lol –Please R&R, darlings.- :)

**CH 10: Kyrie Eleison**

Mugen's unanticipated attack lasted well into the night, Fuu faithfully staying by his side and treating him with the proper elixirs in which Madame Haruka had helped her put together. The one antidote that would ensure his being cured altogether, however, was the one that failed to come to mind.

Cursing her wretched stupidity over not having written it down, Fuu miserably remoistened the rag in the basin at Mugen's bedside, no longer having the heart to gaze upon his shivering form as he continued to lie there weakly before her.

Oh, how had this happened? _How_ had a man of Mugen's tremendous strength deteriorated in mind, body and soul in only a matter of seconds? It just didn't make any sense to Fuu as to how the vagrant could just lie down and give up, yet that was probably only because she didn't know how else to think. To her, Mugen was invincible and always would be – he would never cease in being the stubborn fool that had always come back for her even during the most inopportune of times.

Subconsciously running her fingers over the grooves of the Christian charm that her father had given her upon her birth, Fuu couldn't help but wonder what kind of God would willingly take away the only person who'd ever given her true happiness. Granted, Mugen wasn't in love with her like she was with him, but if she could only meet him halfway it would be more than enough to satiate her own needs. By this point she knew there was no use in denying the fact that she was hopelessly in love with the Ryukyuan, so any form of false affection she could get from him she'd more than willingly accept.

As she was contemplating all of this a low cough sounded from abaft with the hopes of getting her attention, Fuu whirling about in surprise due to being caught off-guard during such a serious moment. "Jin!" she exclaimed, subconsciously clutching at her heart, "H-how long have you been standing there?"

"Only a moment" he assured her, his demeanor gentle, yet stoic as ever. "I just came to tell you that we've finally reached Ryukyu…I can see the island just ahead against the horizon."

"Oh, that's wonderful" Fuu breathed, apprehensively glancing over toward Mugen with the slightest bit of relief in her eyes. "Is it morning yet? I can't tell due to the serious lack of light."

Jin nodded, yet he said nothing in regards to the time of day. "Kohza once told me that she loved the waters of Ryukyu…perhaps we should bury her there."

"Well yes, that's what I thought we were doing" Fuu agreed, raising a delicate brow in confusion. "I figured that we could just borrow a couple of shovels from some Ryukyuans and then –"

"_No"_ Jin interrupted, immediately shaking his head, "I mean bury her _here…_in the water."

Fuu recoiled at this sudden declaration, her eyes widening in surprise as she gazed up into his aphotic pools in order to see if he was actually being sincere.

"By God, you really mean it" she whispered, shaking her head in absolute disbelief. "When you said 'proper burial' I somehow figured that you meant on land and with a service. Forgive me for saying so, but don't you find it to be rather barbaric to just dump Kohza overboard as if she were nothing but a meaningless barge of waste?"

Jin solemnly shook his head. "No, Fuu-chan, I do not. It's what Kohza would've wanted…she often-"

"_Pretended to be a mermaid"_ Mugen cut in weakly from behind, thus causing them both to blanch and turn in his general direction. "As a kid she'd always drag me into playin' her stupid games, but somehow…well……I had fun. We were always splashin' and dunkin' each other under the surf and just livin' like we didn't have a care in the world. Sure, that was complete B.S. an' all, but at least for the couple hours that we spent out there together it _felt_ like we lived normal lives.

"Hell, above all those moments I guess I'll never forget the day when Kohza came back from the beach with this sand rock she'd found somewhere along the shore. She was _so_ frickin' excited about that stupid thing, so I agreed to polish and string it into a necklace for 'er. After I made it she put it on and never took it off…I seriously couldn't believe how damn prouda that thing she was.

"The night I left Ryukyu I thought for sure that she'd tear it off and chuck it somewhere out into the ocean, but when the three of us returned to Ryukyu it was still there, shinin' all beautiful an' bright as the sun around her neck."

Fuu took note of Mugen's wistful façade and suddenly felt a tremendous twinge of jealousy. Although she knew that a great deal of the vagrant's rambling had to do with his high fever, she still couldn't help but harbor the feeling that at some point in his life the pirate had actually been in love with Kohza.

Placing a soft hand over Mugen's forehead, Fuu became absolutely delighted to discover that his fever was ever-so-slowly beginning to wane. "Mugen" she called, carefully encircling his hand with her own, "how are you feeling?"

The vagrant snorted. "Like shit, even thought it really doesn't matter anymore considerin' how there's nothin' you can do for me."

"Mugen, you said you were willing to put some faith in me" Fuu argued, the tremendous hurt apparent within the tremors of her voice as she gave his hand a frantic squeeze. "After yesterday's attack you promised you'd let me heal you. Why are you even considering having second thoughts when you're actually getting better? I _can_ do this…"

Mugen stubbornly shrugged his shoulders. _"Whatever,_ Fuu. I overheardja prayin' last evening and I know you're in a real rut over my situation. Why even bother lyin' to me when it'll only make everything worse?"

"Oh, Mugen" Fuu whispered, her eyes filling up with tears, _"please_ don't give up on me…just give me a chance to prove to you that I can make you well, again!"

"Why bother?" he muttered, his gray eyes slowly closing as he rolled over and turned his back to the wall. "Now if ya don't mind, I'd really like to be alone right now. If I'm really gonna die, I'd rather you and Four Eyes weren't around to witness it."

"But Mugen, I-"

Jin immediately shook his head no, Fuu giving him a reproachful look as he took her by the arm and gently escorted her out of the Ryukyuan's cabin without so much as a word.

"Jin" Fuu finally ventured, _"why_ did you make me leave? I have a feeling that Mugen was really close to believing in me!"

The ronin sadly shook his head, returning pragmatically, "Why do you insist on torturing yourself like this, Fuu-chan? Ever since our departure from Edo you haven't had even a wink of sleep…if you are to take care of Mugen, shouldn't it be obvious that you can't be sick, as well?"

"You're wrong" Fuu shot back, her heart throbbing painfully within her bosom as she sharply turned her back to him and bowed her head. "Mugen needs me to be awake for him at all times. If I'm not, something awful could happen to him, like…like…"

"_Death?"_ Jin supplied, his stoic façade now terribly grim. "Fuu-chan, do not fear the inevitable – if Mugen is meant to die, then it must be so."

"_No!"_ Fuu screamed, now turning on him as if with the intention of attacking. "If those stupid Crow Men want him, they'll have to get through _me,_ first!"

The ronin audibly sighed, arguing, "Fuu, _please_…why are you doing this to yourself? Mugen never even gave two shits about you!"

The young girl fell silent then, Jin regretting his harsh words as she acknowledged in a voice barely above a whisper, "I wanted to hate him, Jin, really I did, but I…I just couldn't. Whenever I needed him to be ugly he only grew more beautiful in my eyes. I truly don't understand how someone so cruel and heartless can be my everything, Jin, but…he _is."_

"Hn" the ronin agreed, his intangible mind immediately reflecting back on all of the countless times that Kohza had wronged him, only to find himself forgiving her treachery without a second thought. Perhaps his and Fuu's predicaments weren't so different, after all…

"Jin?" Fuu questioned, placing a hand supportively on his shoulder, "Are…are you alright?"

The ronin nodded, urging stolidly in return, "Come…we must lay Kohza to rest before we reach the shore."

Fuu nodded meekly in return, obediently following after her friend before giving one last look over toward Mugen's cabin. "Stay safe for me" she whispered lowly, hopefully.

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After Kohza's burial at sea the trio found themselves being taken in by a few natives that had happened to take an immediate shine to them upon their unexpected arrival.

The eldest of the three, Narobi, had taken an interest in Mugen most of all due to his more than obvious Ryukyuan prison tattoos. Upon realizing how ill he was, she had sent her youngest daughter, Julianka, to the local witch doctor with a basket of her famous desserts with the hopes of bribing him into making Mugen his top priority.

Although Fuu was incredibly grateful to the family's kindness, she still couldn't imagine how on earth such a seemingly sweet and morale old woman could possibly take such an affectionate shine to a vagabond pirate. Perhaps it was their indelible Ryukyuan ties that made Narobi feel so responsible for Mugen, yet whatever it was, Fuu was beyond appreciative.

Jin, on the other hand, appeared to be rather uncomfortable with the entire situation since the eldest daughter – a plump little brunette by the name of Kaelani – had been fawning all over him ever since their arrival to the small village.

"Please tell me more about your exciting adventures, Gene" the aforementioned suddenly urged, her big brown eyes batting bashfully as the ronin visibly winced.

"It's Jin" he sorely corrected, ignoring Fuu's smirk as Kaelani snuggled possessively up against his arm.

"Oh, that's right…_Jin"_ she agreed, giggling like a schoolgirl before continuing, "It must be _so_ hard on you to be in charge of protecting two defenseless people every waking moment of the day, especially that good-for-nothing girl!"

Fuu noticeably stiffened at this snide remark, yet by this point in her life she was so used to such ridicule that she turned the other cheek and looked over to Narobi with expectant eyes. "When do you think Julianka will be back with the doctor?" she asked, her anxiety clearly reflecting within her dainty features. "Do you think it'll be much longer?"

"No, child, I do not" the older woman assured her, smiling warmly before leaning over and gently patting Fuu's hand. "You stop your worrying, now, ya hear? Tanaka-san is an exceptional doctor…one of the absolute best, for that matter."

This seemed to comfort Fuu to some extent, yet every time she happened to glance over in Mugen's general direction her heart began to sink. He was so weak, so _tired…_

"Mother!"

Both Fuu and Narobi looked up in accordance with this unanticipated intrusion, their eyes now resting upon Julianka as she anxiously rushed forth with the news that they had been awaiting for so long.

"Oh, Mother!" she called yet again, "he's coming! Doctor Tanaka-san is _actually_ coming!"

"Where is he, child?" Narobi demanded, grasping her blonde daughter by the arms before giving her a gentle shake. "Is he close by? Come now, get a hold of yourself – you're _shaking!"_

Seemingly un-phased by her mother's response Julianka cheerily returned, "Yes, Mother, _yes! _Tanaka-san is right outside – he agreed to follow me home!"

Thoroughly surprised by this response, Narobi released her daughter and rushed over to the door, all the while reprimanding the blonde for being so terribly rude toward their guest.

"I apologize, Mother" Julianka returned, only to immediately regress back to her original state of sheer excitement as she turned to Fuu and revealed, "Tanaka-san is as gifted as he is handsome – I can assure you that your friend is finally in good hands!"

Fuu opened her mouth to reply, yet before she could even utter a word the front door swung open and in stepped a tall and swarthy man bedecked in the finest Ryukyuan garb that she had ever seen. His wealthy disposition was quite noticeably thanks to his being so well regarded by the villagers, for most witch doctors in their day and age were decidedly poor.

"And where is this patient of mine?" Tanaka finally demanded, Fuu shrinking slightly back as he regarded her with eyes as dark as the deepest night.

Julianka wordlessly pointed over toward the secluded portion of the room where no one was allowed to venture, a sheer blue sheet that acted as a divider silhouetting Mugen's laggard form like that of a startling ink drawing.

Cradling his chin in between his thumb and index finger as if deep in thought, Tanaka fluidly perambulated his way over toward the slumbering Ryukyuan's side, the doctor's brows drawing inward as he looked the scruffy man up and down in a critical once-over.

"He is very weak" he observed, now turning to Fuu with a questioning look in his exotic eyes. "Have you been giving him plenty of fluid and lots of rest?"

Fuu meekly shook her head. "No, sir…Mugen refuses to be kept down any longer than is necessary, so he never accepted my advice."

"So I see" Tanaka muttered, now reaching into his medicinal satchel before retrieving a bottle of alcohol. Pivoting about on his heel so that he was now facing Julianka he ordered, "Quickly, child, go and fetch some ice from the icehouse…I'm going to attempt to reduce the boy's fever before I begin the actual cure."

Nodding and rushing off with an obedience that deeply prided Narobi, Julianka hastened outside and to the family icehouse in order to fetch a pail of water and ice.

As she did so Tanaka stripped the sheets from Mugen's nude and perspiring form, Fuu respectively averting her eyes from the body that she had committed to memory as she assisted the witch doctor in his surprisingly difficult task.

"Hold the sheets out like this" Tanaka instructed, briefly demonstrating the stance for Fuu before uncapping the bottle of alcohol and gingerly pouring it all along the scratchy linen. Eyeing Julianka as she scurried back into the hut, he then commanded, "Put the sheets in your pail, child…make sure they soak all the way through."

Taking the saturated bedding from Fuu's outstretched hands, the blonde dutifully bent at the knee and submerged them into the freezing ice cold water of her bucket, her hands swirling the linens around in a circular fashion before dragging them back out in a sopping wet bundle. Wringing the sheets so as to extract any excess water, Julianka then assisted Tanaka in binding them around Mugen's quivering form to the point that he very much resembled a live mummy.

"_Fuu?"_ Mugen suddenly rasped, his eyelids fluttering as he desperately sought to distinguish the faces in the room, "Am I…am I _dead?"_

"No, Mugen, you are not, and you _won't_ be for a very long time" Fuu stubbornly divulged, her tiny hands grasping at the sides of his unshaven face before she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss upon the tip of his nose.

"Egads, child, what are you _doing!?"_ Tanaka demanded from out of nowhere, immediately halting his prior actions as he raced over and pulled her away from the Ryukyuan's trembling form.

Glaring back up at the doctor in defiance, Fuu mulishly returned, "I'm taking care of him – what does it _look_ like I'm doing!? It's not your place to tell me who I can and cannot see!"

"That may be so" Tanaka agreed, "but if you keep this up, child, _you'll_ be dead, too!"

Julianka gasped. "Dead, _too?" _she reiterated, now terribly pale, "D-do you mean to say that you've given up on Mugen, Tanaka-san?"

"No, I did not say that" he acknowledged, "but if we don't hurry the boy will be dead within the hour." Turning to Fuu he added, "I would very much appreciate it if you and Julianka could prepare the elixir for me so that I can do some other things to help your friend. If anything, it will save us a lot of time, which is something that we are currently in a desperate need of."

Taking the herbs and spices from the witch doctor's outstretched hands, Fuu wordlessly nodded, she and Julianka exiting the small hut as Jin watched on with utmost concern.

Why didn't things _feel_ right?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_One of these days you're gonna turn around and I won't be here, anymore."_

"_W-what? Mugen, what do you-?"_

"_Seriously, kid…I can sense these things better than the scent of blood. My life by the sword is gonna end by the sword, so when I die I want you to make sure that I'm cremated and scattered out all across the ocean. Maybe that way those damnded Crow Men won't be able to find me an' I can go on livin' forever."_

"_But Mugen…why do you sound so resigned?"_

_He smiled, then, a true and genuine smile as he gazed out across the choppy waves of the sea and shrugged. "I dunno…I guess 'cause your constant bitchin' makes me wanna end it all or somethin'."_

_Fuu blanched. "Oh, Mugen, you're such a jerk! One of these days I'm gonna-"_

"Fuu?"

_She paused, cocking her head to the side as she gave him a genuinely bewildered look._

"_Fuu,_ snap out of it!"

Letting out a cry, the young beauty lurched forward and nearly upset the mortar and pestle that she currently held within her taut grasp, Julianka taking her by the arm before peering tentatively into her eyes and giving her hand a gentle pat.

"You ok?" the blonde questioned, her concern only mounting in its intensity as her friend feebly shrugged her shoulders. "Fuu, _please_ tell me what's the matter…if you don't resolve this soon and we can't finish what we started, Mugen will _die!"_

Fuu finally acknowledged Julianka's presence with a low snort of derision, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she feverishly returned, "There's nothing we can do for a man that doesn't want to be saved, Julianka. Mugen believes he will die…so he will."

"_What?_ How do you know?" the blonde demanded, her violet irises widening as she tried her best to comprehend Fuu's sudden state of resignation.

The dark-haired girl meekly bowed her head so that her vision was masked by her bangs, her voice soft and breathy as she returned, "I-I had a daydream…Mugen was telling me just how he wanted to be buried. I asked him why he'd given up so soon, but all he did was smile and make one of his typical wise-cracks. That's about when you snapped me out of it, and-"

"Fuu, you're just upset" Julianka interrupted, a sad smile now adorning her lips as she leaned in and gave the girl a supportive hug. "You're just so on edge that your subconscious dreamt up that whole little encounter with Mugen, but dreams do _not _come true, Fuu-chan. Everything is going to be alright."

Fuu sniffed. "I-I guess…"

"Come on" Julianka urged, "let me take you back inside so that you can see Mugen for yourself."

Fuu feebly shook her head no, revealing softly, "I-I'd rather not, Julianka…please go without me. I'm afraid that I might interfere with Doctor Tanaka's cure."

"_What?_ Fuu, that's _crazy,_ I-"

"_Please"_ Fuu begged, the earnest look within her haunting irises tugging at Julianka's heart strings until she felt as if she had no choice other than to comply.

Taking the mortar and pestle from Fuu's trembling hands, the blonde gave her friend one final hug before she stood up and began the short walk back to the hut.

As she did so Fuu suddenly began to cough, her tiny body wracking along with her harsh movements until something warm and wet to the touch splattered out across her hand.

Lifting her appendage up toward her line of vision she gasped, instantly discovering that the scarlet bloom dribbling down her palm was none other than blood…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sterile clinking of medical supplies is what Mugen heard first, a low groan of disgust escaping the back of his throat as he came to the sudden realization that his mouth tasted of bile and some exotic elixir. _"Where…where am I?"_ he croaked, his throat inexplicably dry.

Glancing down at him in delight Tanaka exclaimed, "Ah! So you are finally awake, my boy! That is some very good news, indeed!"

"_Wha?_ How did I-?"

"You gave us quite a scare, you little rascal!" Narobi clucked excitedly from the side, the wrinkles around her dark eyes crinkling as she bestowed the Ryukyuan with a warm and tender smile. "Thanks to Fuu and Julianka mixing up that nasty 'ol concoction, you're officially on the road to recovery – hell, your fever's already breaking!"

"_Fuu?"_ Mugen reiterated, his eyes blinking lazily as he looked from one smiling face to the other. "Where is she? Lord knows ya can't leave that wench alone for even a second without havin' her get herself into some sorta trouble."

Julianka smothered a smile as she returned, "Fuu-chan is outside by the pond, Mugen…she seemed rather upset when I left her, so perhaps you should go and talk to her for a while now that you're feeling better."

Mugen scowled at the possibility of turning into a big pussy like Jin, but when he caught the steely glint in the ronin's eye he knew that he couldn't back away. As much as he hated to admit it, Fuu _had_ become some sick, twisted part of him, so he could never just deny her – not _really,_ anyway.

Rolling his eyes, Mugen shucked the damp sheets from his nude body and demanded that he be given his clothes, Julianka's pale cheeks flushing a brilliant shade of scarlet as she obediently rushed over to the chair by the front door in order to retrieve his soiled raiment.

As she did this Mugen was tempted to ask if she'd ever seen a dick as big as his before, yet once she gave him his gi, haori and shorts he shrugged it off and slipped into his clothing. The way he saw it, he was so physically fit that he could walk around naked all the time, yet he didn't want to make Jin feel inferior (yeah, right) nor cause Fuu to blush just like any other girl who'd been lucky enough to see him in the nude.

Smirking due to his own perverted thoughts, Mugen smugly made his way toward the front door, yet just as he did so Jin abruptly stepped out in front of him and blocked his only means of escape.

"Be kind to her" the ronin urged, his gaunt facial features still as passive as ever. "You never know when it will be far too late to make amends, Mugen-san."

Mugen gave a shrug of nonchalance as his answer, his chin subconsciously jutting forward as he sidestepped his comrade and made his way out the door and into the open air.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sky was a foreboding gray when Mugen finally reached the area in which Julianka had spoken of, the sharp winds scissoring through his dark hair and buffeting his built form as he scanned the grounds with narrowed eyes.

The tension in the air was more than enough to set the Ryukyuan on edge, his calloused hand grasping at the hilt of his sword as he took a small step forward and waited.

"_Fuu?"_ Mugen finally ventured, the simple name seeming to echo in a foreboding mantra against the trees as he irritably tromped his way through the unkempt grass. "C'mon, wench, where are ya? I-" He paused, then, his brows drawing inward as his breath involuntarily hitched in his throat due to the terrible sight that now welcomed him. There, sprawled out along the downy earth was Fuu, her dainty figure face-down and dangerously close to the pond's edge.

"_Hey!"_ Mugen called, his geta now frantically pounding against the earth as he moved, "What the hell do you think you're doin'!?"

When Fuu didn't answer the Ryukyuan began to panic, his knees becoming scraped the moment he swooped down and flipped her over within his arms_. "Fuu"_ he hissed, giving her a rough shake, "C'_mon, _quit pissin' around!"

To his utmost relief Fuu slowly opened her eyes, their typical autumnal sparkle now reflecting like that of the dead of winter. _"Mugen"_ she whispered, a small smile immediately coming to her lips, "Julianka was right…you _did_ keep your promise to me. You're well, again…"

Mugen smirked over the pride of actually doing something right for a change, his light-hearted expression immediately dying upon his lips the moment he noticed the telltale splotches of dark crimson splattered along the girl's kimono.

"Fuu" he whispered, his eyes widening, _"Gods,_ didn't I tell ya to stay away from me!? Just look at what your fuckin' pride's done to you, now!"

"I don't care anymore, Mugen" she whispered, her hand fondly tracing the scraggly curve of his unshaven cheek as she bestowed him with a warm and gentle smile. "Now that you're well again we can finally start concentrating on the small pleasures in life like we used to. You, me and Jin can open up our own tea house…wouldn't that be _funny?"_

Mugen smiled, yet it lacked all mirth. "Yeah, sure, kid…whatever you say."

Fuu suddenly appeared to be very peaceful, her eyes growing heavy as she continued, "I know you don't really like kids that much, Mugen, but have you ever thought of what it'd be like to have some? I think it'd be pretty neat to see little me's and you's running all over the place stirring up all sorts of trouble."

Mugen balked. "Me's…and _you's?"_

"Yes, silly…I can't think of anyone else I'd rather father my children than you."

Something within these words made the Ryukyuan ache all over, his heart pounding furiously as he shook his head in a manner that suggested he was trying to denounce Fuu for all she was worth. "No" he argued, "you're _wrong!_ Why do you constantly say pointless shit when you _know_ that I'm not capable of loving another human being!? You deserve someone who will cherish you for what you are, Fuu…someone more like Four Eyes."

"But I don't love him" Fuu murmured feebly, "I love _you,_ Mugen. How many times must I say that?"

"Apparently one too many, 'cause you won't stop" the Ryukyuan growled, the look in his haunting gray eyes causing Fuu to wear a look of absolute hurt.

"Why do you hate me so?" she demanded, her voice now cracking with emotion. _"Why_ must you constantly try to hurt me by cutting me to the quick with words far sharper than any sword? I don't understand it, Mugen. I…I just want you to like me…"

Mugen flinched. "I don't hate-cha, Fuu, I-I just can't-"

"_Ssh"_ she harshly interrupted, now inclining her head so that she appeared to be listening to some unknown source. "You hear that, Mugen? It's the Crow Men! They're calling for me…"

Mugen stiffened, now giving her a fierce shake as he hissed, "You tell them _no,_ ya hear me!? If I can beat this, _you_ can, too!"

"No, Mugen" Fuu argued, "I must go…"

"_NO!"_

In one final act of desperation the Ryukyuan crushed his mouth desperately to hers, his strong arms gripping her so soundly against his chest that it was almost as if he truly believed that her spirit couldn't escape if he held on tightly enough.

"I kissed you" Mugen revealed against the softness of Fuu's lips, "I finally did the goddamned deed, so ya can't leave just yet…you know what this all means, don'tcha?" Burying his face into the crook of her neck he continued, "It means I care for ya, Fuu, 'cause you said to only kiss ya when I did, and……I do. I know I've been a dickhead an' all, but _fuck,_ Fuu, you're the only one who's ever claimed to love me and meant it. Hell, I know you're turnin' me into the biggest pussy that ever lived, but ya know what? It's ok, 'cause havin' someone there to actually give a damn ain't so bad, after all."

Running his calloused hands through Fuu's silken hair, Mugen then inhaled her heavenly scent more deeply, his body relaxing against her own as he inwardly conceded that she smelt of flowers and sunshine. He despised the very notion that he could possibly love her, but the longer he held the sunflower princess in his arms the more he knew. His feelings were as inevitable as the dawn, his epiphany as transcendent as all time. _Gods,_ he didn't want to need another being to survive, but the moment he saw her soft form lying lifeless and broken along the water's edge he knew…

He _knew._

"Ugh, I'm _such_ a pussy" Mugen groaned, somehow managing to chuckle into Fuu's ear as he continued to hold her close. "Now that I've said all that mushy bull crap whaddaya say, Fuu? Will ya promise me that you'll get well again like I did for you?"

She didn't answer.

"_Fuu?"_

Mugen felt as if his heart had suddenly ceased in beating the moment he gazed down upon his fallen lover, her facial features demure and beautiful even in death as tiny rain droplets began to mist down upon them from the heavens in a tumultuous veil of silver.

Releasing a strangled howl Mugen directed his vengeful gaze up toward the rumbling Heavens, the merciless liquid droplets continuing to pelt him in the face as he miserably pulled Fuu close in order to rest her head against his heaving chest.

Fuck love…fuck Kami. He should've known that something like this would've happened – everyone that he ever grew even remotely close to in his wretched life had to suffer the repercussions of his unforgivable sins.

"Why did you make me care?" Mugen hissed, his hands fisting the coarse cloth to Fuu's kimono as he began to tremble in spite of the heat coursing throughout his veins. "Why the _fuck_ did I have to become so weak? Maybe if I hadn't given in you'd still be here…"

Fuu's peaceful form suddenly seemed to be mocking him amidst her eternal slumber, her bowed lashes closing off the autumnal sparkle within her eyes that would now cease to light even the darkest of nights.

The very thought of never again seeing this or hearing the clarity of her laughter ringing throughout the trees brought the Ryukyuan a tremendous sense of guilt, his heart heavy within his chest as he gathered Fuu's limp form up within the security of his arms and slowly rose to his feet.

Now walking on wobbly legs, Mugen shuffled along through the grass in an almost drunken-like stupor, the sudden tightening of his fist in Fuu's dark locks causing her hairpins to become loose and fall to the ground with two subtle _'plops'._

Glancing down upon Fuu's serene visage, Mugen couldn't help but feel as if he had wronged her yet again, the burnt umber of her hair now flowing freely about her shoulders as ribbons of wind whistled in between the small gaps of their bodies.

Immediately looking away from this disturbing sight he stubbornly pressed onward, a small glimmer of recognition streaking out across his dark irises as he suddenly realized where they were. Whether it was subconsciously his intention or not, they were now standing amidst a bright field of yellow sunflowers, their warm faces bowing along with the breeze in an almost mocking dance.

Closing his eyes so as to shut them out, Mugen slowly bent at the knee and placed Fuu amidst the delicately verdant blooms, his large hand cradling her head before gingerly resting it down against a soft mound of earth.

Instead of leaving Fuu there to rest like he had originally intended, Mugen slowly laid down alongside her and rested his face in between the gentle slope of her neck and shoulder. She looked so calm, so……_beautiful._

'_For all I know, this is just some frickin' dream'_ the Ryukyuan thought, somehow taking comfort in this idea as he pulled Fuu close. _'Hell, I'll betcha that everything'll be back to normal by morning…I'll still be the one dyin' and Fuu will be her annoying little self again.'_

The Heavens above roared angrily in response, that very moment leading Mugen to finally understand that all was lost…

_His longed-for morning never came._

**A/N:** -Hides- PLEEEASE, don't kill me! This was my intention all along:( I'm pretty proud to say that I fooled you, so you have to at least give me _that _much. :-P Now despite the fact that this seems over, there is still **ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT**!!! What more can I say in this story?? Guess you'll just have to find out. :)

My fan art for this fic is on deviantart under the name SweetFaith06, so hopefully you'll browse through my gallery and see something semi-presentable, haha. My favorite for this fic is "Downfall", which is the death scene in which you just were forced to read, and I apologize. :-P I'll admit that the scene wasn't NEARLY as emotional as I usually write for deaths, but hey, it's Mugen…if I'd gone any more nuts with his character he would've been more OOC than he already was. --' Well, ok, so I DO think that Mugen's capable of some sort of emotion – especially dealing with his friends – but I tried to express it without tears or him actually saying "I love you". He cheated, friends, and the sad thing is Fuu didn't even hear him…::sniff sniff::

**-Kyrie Eleison means "Lord Have Mercy"**

With all that said, PLEASE tell me what you liked, disliked, what I need to work on, what I did well, or anything else you can think of – after all, I love to improve, because it makes my work better and more enjoyable for you, the reader! LOVE YOU GUYS!!! ;0)


	11. A Time for Us

**A Time for Us**

Fifty years. Fifty long, agonizing years without _her._

Languidly staring up at the sun that continued to beat down upon his dozing body, Mugen allowed his eyes to briefly close as he pretended that the sudden invasion of warmth was Fuu's soft form pressed affectionately against his own. Her honey-brown eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him in utter adoration, her thin arms pulling him closer for a tender embrace as she laughed at his futile attempts at squirming free.

When the sharp cry of a cackling gull suddenly startled the Ryukyuan out of his daydream, he glared spitefully up at the winged creature and silently wished it a thousand deaths. Fuck, even _nature_ didn't want him and Fuu to be together…

Sluggishly rising from his perch against the large oak tree, Mugen grumbled several profanities to himself as he scratched his backside, the haunting image of Fuu's peaceful visage now nudging its way into the recesses of his mind as clear as the day she had died.

"Shit, it's nearly been a frickin' lifetime since you died – leave me the hell alone!" Mugen growled at the imaginary sight, his heart heavy as he defiantly about-faced so that Fuu was left with the view of his stiff back. When Fuu's sleepy eyes suddenly appeared before him again he began to panic, his voice now raw with pain as he pleaded, "Stop haunting me like this, Fuu…_please!_ I can't take it no more!"

Smiling, Fuu held her hand out to him in answer, her willowy form wordlessly backing up toward the forest as she beckoned him to follow.

Mugen stared helplessly at the small girl for several moments before finally giving suit, his subconscious briefly allowing him to grab his sword in case he ran into trouble along the way.

After several agonizing twists and turns and trudging through gnarled pathways, the couple arrived at a particular grassy area in which Mugen had become all too familiar with: Fuu's gravesite.

Collapsing abruptly to his knees, the weary Ryukyuan bowed his head before striking his fist soundly against the soft earth, his voice hollow and burning as he screamed, _"Why_ are you torturing me like this, Fuu!? Why the _fuck_ won't you just leave me alone!?"

The dark-haired girl in question genuflected mutely before him, her honey-brown eyes warm and glistening with tears as she placed one of her thin white hands over his own large bronze one in an act of tenderness. Something about seeing Fuu in this state caused Mugen's heart to still with shame, his head bowing as he was suddenly overcome by the tremendous desire to do something for her.

Solemnly retrieving his longsword from his side, the Ryukyuan then held it out to her in an act that both surprised and confused his lover.

"It's been apart-a me for all these years, and grossly enough, you have been, too" Mugen explained, his voice tired and his limbs shaking. "It's why I wantcha ta have it, Fuu…it ain't doin' me any good now that I don't got anybody ta protect."

Fuu tried to push it back with her hands, yet Mugen stubbornly thrust the longsword down into the mound of dirt in between them, his lover's eyes both hard and soft as she took him by the hand and whispered into his ear that it was time.

"Time for what?" Mugen demanded, though he already knew. "I ain't so young anymore, ya know…I'm surprised ya still want me."

Fuu gave him a reproachful look, yet her eyes were laughing, her willowy arms gracefully pulling him in for the fierce embrace that she had been neglected to share with him for all these years.

"Fuu" Mugen whispered, his voice now laden with excitement, "I…I can touch you! I can actually _feel_ you in my arms!"

Fuu nodded warmly, her nose nuzzling its way into the crook of his neck as a loud buffeting noise filled the air like that of a thousand wings. The moment she felt his breath hitch in his throat she held him closer, her slender fingers gently running through his gnarled gray hair so that he'd be assured of his safety.

"Will it hurt?" Mugen suddenly whispered, now able to see the Crow Men standing all about them. When Fuu shook her head he smiled, his tone surprisingly warm and gentle as he returned, "Then tell 'em I'm ready ta get outta this hellhole…I've been ready for fifty long years."

Fuu smiled, then, a brilliant white light illuminating the earth and enveloping them within its soft effervescence as Mugen slowly closed his eyes and prepared himself for the unknown. As they laid there together he felt free…reborn…but above all, he actually felt _happy._

When Mugen reopened his eyes he found Fuu standing there beside him, her soft hand finding its way into his own before they slowly turned toward the blinding white light and took a small step forward. Smiling over at his love, Mugen knew then that he could finally live in peace, for at long last, they were finally together again.

**A/N:** Welp, this is obviously the more "morbid" of my endings, but I honestly prefer it to the fluffy one. The "fluffy" one is hopefully yet another surprise for ya, but you tell me which you like better. Since this is the end of this fic, I've actually started other SC stories if you're interested…I can't thank you guys enough for all of your overwhelming support. HUGS FOR EVERYONE!!!! lol XD

P.S. I also have **Fuugen fan art **for some of my fics on **deviantart **with the profile name of **sweetfaith06**, if you're interested. :)


	12. Alternate Ending

**Alternate Ending**

Mugen solemnly gazed down upon the freshly dug mound of earth at his feet, his eyes somber and grim once he realized how hollow he'd become within only a matter of days. He'd never been an emotional man before, but now…now he _knew_ what it felt like to be truly empty inside.

Suddenly placing a supportive hand on the Ryukyuan's shoulder from behind, Jin remarked softly, "Do not be sad, Mugen-san…she is finally at peace."

The vagrant didn't answer the stoic samurai at his side, his eyes grave and bleak as he dolefully gazed down upon the pathetic little grave and snorted. "She died 'cause-a me, Four Eyes…if I'da left well enough alone, she'd still be here."

The ronin solemnly shook his head. "Fuu-chan would not want you to think such thoughts…she'd tell you to move on."

"Well that's pretty fuckin' easy for you ta say, don'tcha think?" Mugen snarled, his being suddenly consumed by an inexplicable bout of rage. "Fuu was _my_ woman, not yours, so you don't have any fuckin' right ta say what she would or wouldn't have wanted me ta do!"

Jin's eyes narrowed considerably as he looked the pirate over, his voice cold and laden with resentment as he bitterly remarked, "Mugen, you are _such_ a lazy bum – why can't you ever just wake up when spoken to?"

The Ryukyuan eyed Jin strangely. "I…_wha?"_

"I _said_ wake up!"

With a startled yelp, Mugen shot straight up from his perch as if attached to a spring, his eyes blinking in rapid succession once he rested his hazy vision upon a familiar pink blur at his side.

_"Mugen?"_ it persisted, lighting tapping at his forehead with its finger, "C'mon, we were supposed to leave an hour ago! I really do think this time that the Sunflower Samurai is close by!"

_"Huh?"_

"What, are you hard of hearing? Let's _go!"_ the girl persisted, now tugging impatiently at his arm. "If we don't, we might miss him!"

Mugen looked up at her then, his eyes widening once he realized that it was none other than intolerable little Fuu, the typical rosy shade of her cheeks only blossoming along with the overexertion of her incessant yanking.

"Fuu" he finally whispered, trying his best to bite back a smile, "it's really you…you're alive!"

She gave him a funny look. "Well of _course_ I'm alive! Whatever made you say such a silly thing?"

"You mean…neither of us ever had tuberculosis?"

"Of _course_ not! Mugen, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling alright?" Fuu demanded, now placing a hand gently over his forehead so she could check his temperature.

When Mugen could only grin up at her dazed expression he finally sat up, his tone warm and genuinely surprising her as he returned, "Well, Fuu, I think it's pretty safe ta say that I've never been better."

Blinking, Fuu followed after the Ryukyuan's retreating form with her big brown eyes, all the while wondering what on earth could have possibly fried his brain.

**A/N:** Yay, here's my happier ending for all you fluff lovers out there…I personally like the other one better, but you tell me. :) Hope I did you guys service…and if you're REALLY bored, I wrote some new SC fics, my favorite being "Through Hell and Back" because of the storyline. Welp…love you!!


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